Desmognathus cheaha

Pyron et al. (2023) described the southern D. monticola lineages A/C as a new species, D. cheaha.

This species is found in Georgia and Alabama. The population appears stable and relatively tolerant to habitat degradation.

This species is found in northwestern Georgia, and central and southern Alabama (Pyron et al. 2023). There are two distinct population segments. One is in the Ridge and Valley, Talladega Uplands, and associated Piedmont of western Georgia and east central Alabama with an elevational range of ~123–371 m ASL. The other is a disjunct Southeastern Plains population in the Red Hills of Alabama with an elevational range of ~31–95 m ASL. Isolated populations occur on the Fall Line in south-central Alabama (Autauga County). Using Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) (2025) records from within the range prescribed by Pyron et al. (2023), range extent is estimated to be 65,072 km² (RARECAT 2025).

An isolated population in the extreme northwestern panhandle of Florida (Escambia County) is likely extirpated (Holzheuser and Means 2021).

Applying a 3 km separation distance to GIBF (2025) records, 33 occurrences are estimated (RARECAT 2025). This may be an underestimate due to underrepresentation of this species in collections and studies.

This species appears relatively tolerant of habitat degradation from pollution and sedimentation, though these threats are negatively impacting populations in the southern part of the range (Pyron et al. 2023, Chang 2024). The Florida population is suspected to have been lost due to damming of the only occupied stream, sedimentation due to clearcutting surrounding pine trees, pollution from agriculture, and overcollection of scientific specimens (Holzheuser and Means 2021). Desmognathus monticola, which this species was formerly considered to be part of, is also threatened by clearcutting of mature hardwood stands along riparian corridors, which can reduce abundance for several decades (Regester et al. 2020). It is not considered highly susceptible to climate change nor disease impacting other amphibian species in the range (Regester et al. 2020).