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Desmognathus fuscus

(Green, 1818)

Northern Dusky Salamander

G5Secure Found in 59 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.859647
Element CodeAAAAD03040
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAmphibia
OrderCaudata
FamilyPlethodontidae
GenusDesmognathus
COSEWICE,NAR
Other Common Names
Dusky Salamander (EN) northern dusky salamander (EN) Salamandre sombre du Nord (FR)
Concept Reference
Tilley, S. G., R. L. Eriksen, and L. A. Katz. 2008. Systematics of dusky salamanders, Desmognathus (Caudata: Plethodontidae), in the mountain and Piedmont regions of Virginia and North Carolina, USA. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 152:115-130.
Taxonomic Comments
The name Desmognathus fuscus has a long and complex taxonomic past that historically included several other taxa that have since been elevated to full species (Bonnett 2002, Beamer and Lamb 2008, Tilley et al. 2008, Tilley et al. 2013, Beamer and Lamb 2020, Pyron et al. 2020, Pyron and Beamer 2023). Pyron and Beamer (2023) revised the taxonomy of salamanders under the names D. fuscus and D. conanti, which included the elevation of former subspecies to species and descriptions of several new species. Pyron and Beamer (2023) limited the definition of Desmognathus fuscus to Desmognathus fuscus A/B/E from Beamer and Lamb (2020). Pyron and Beamer (2023) noted that these three groups may be separate species and further taxonomic work is warranted.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2024-08-22
Change Date2001-10-16
Edition Date2024-08-22
Edition AuthorsGundy, R. L. (2024)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
This species is widespread throughout northeastern North America. The population is abundant and stable with no reported widespread declines.
Range Extent Comments
This species ranges widely in northeastern North America, from southern Indiana, eastern Kentucky, northeastern Tennessee, and northwestern North Carolina, northwards to southern Canada in southeastern Ontario, southern Quebec, and New Brunswick (Pyron and Beamer 2023). Using iNaturalist (2024) records, range extent is estimated to be 1,298,212 km².

Populations from southeastern Illinois (Shepard et al. 2016) and eastern Michigan (Yoder 2007) are considered introduced.
Occurrences Comments
There are hundreds of occurrences throughout the range (iNaturalist 2024).
Threat Impact Comments
No major widespread threats are known at this time. Abundance reflects levels of habitat disturbance, including areas outside riparian buffer zones. For example, in North Carolina, abundance was strongly inversely proportional to the percentage of disturbed habitat in the entire headwater watershed but less affected by the percentage of disturbed habitat present within buffer zones (Willson and Dorcas 2003).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

This species inhabits rock-strewn woodland streams, seepages, and springs with acidic soils (Wyman 1988, Kamstra 1991). Usually near running or trickling water. Hides under leaves, rocks, or other objects in or near water, or in burrows (Kamstra 1991). Eggs are laid near water under moss or rocks, in logs, and in stream-bank cavities. Larval stage usually aquatic.

Reproduction

Courtship may occur both in fall and spring. Oviposition peaks in July in many areas. Clutch size often 10-30. Eggs attended by female. Larvae hatch in 5-9 weeks (Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio) or 10-13 weeks (Ohio), metamorphose 6-13 months later (in June or July in Ohio). Sexually mature in 2-3 years.
Palustrine Habitats
FORESTED WETLANDRiparian
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN4
ProvinceRankNative
OntarioS1Yes
QuebecS4Yes
New BrunswickS3Yes
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
MarylandS5Yes
New HampshireS5Yes
New JerseyS4Yes
West VirginiaS5Yes
IndianaS4Yes
District of ColumbiaS5Yes
ConnecticutS4Yes
GeorgiaS5Yes
North CarolinaS5Yes
Rhode IslandS4Yes
MichiganSNRYes
KentuckyS4Yes
VirginiaS5Yes
DelawareS5Yes
MaineS5Yes
OhioSNRYes
MassachusettsS4Yes
VermontS5Yes
TennesseeS5Yes
New YorkS5Yes
PennsylvaniaS5Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
5 - Biological resource useLarge - restrictedUnknownHigh (continuing)
5.3 - Logging & wood harvestingLarge - restrictedUnknownHigh (continuing)
5.3.4 - Unintentional effects: large scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest]Large - restrictedUnknownHigh (continuing)

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Roadless Areas (59)
Kentucky (1)
AreaForestAcres
WolfpenDaniel Boone National Forest2,835
New Hampshire (7)
AreaForestAcres
Carr MountainWhite Mountain National Forest17,110
Great Gulf Ext.White Mountain National Forest15,110
Mt. Wolf - Gordon PondWhite Mountain National Forest11,846
PemigewassetWhite Mountain National Forest32,255
Presidential - Dry River ExtWhite Mountain National Forest10,555
Sandwich RangeWhite Mountain National Forest16,797
Wild RiverWhite Mountain National Forest46,878
North Carolina (2)
AreaForestAcres
Harper CreekPisgah National Forest7,325
Wilson CreekPisgah National Forest4,863
Pennsylvania (3)
AreaForestAcres
Clarion RiverAllegheny National Forest3,821
Hearts ContentAllegheny National Forest221
Tracy RidgeAllegheny National Forest9,034
Vermont (2)
AreaForestAcres
Bread LoafGreen Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,768
Griffith Lake 09084Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,833
Virginia (31)
AreaForestAcres
Adams PeakGeorge Washington National Forest7,135
Beards MountainGeorge Washington National Forest7,505
Broad RunJefferson National Forest10,971
Brush MountainJefferson National Forest6,002
Brush Mountain EastJefferson National Forest4,916
Crawford MountainGeorge Washington National Forest9,892
Hoop HoleJefferson National Forest4,652
Horse HeavenJefferson National Forest4,748
JerkemtightGeorge Washington National Forest16,687
Kelley MountainGeorge Washington National Forest7,590
Laurel ForkGeorge Washington National Forest9,967
Lewis Fork AdditionJefferson National Forest749
Little AlleghanyGeorge Washington National Forest10,215
Little RiverGeorge Washington National Forest27,292
Little Walker MountainJefferson National Forest9,818
Little Wilson Creek Addition BJefferson National Forest1,725
Mottesheard (VA)Jefferson National Forest2,596
Mountain Lake Addition AJefferson National Forest1,469
Mountain Lake Addition B (VA)Jefferson National Forest3,405
Mt. PleasantGeorge Washington National Forest8,933
New London Bridge BranchJefferson National Forest844
North MountainJefferson National Forest8,377
Northern MassanuttenGeorge Washington National Forest9,444
Oak KnobGeorge Washington National Forest10,882
Peters Mountain Addition BJefferson National Forest2,909
Raccoon BranchJefferson National Forest4,388
Saint Marys AdditionGeorge Washington National Forest1,454
Seng MountainJefferson National Forest6,428
Southern MassanuttenGeorge Washington National Forest11,985
The PriestGeorge Washington National Forest5,737
Three RidgesGeorge Washington National Forest4,745
West Virginia (13)
AreaForestAcres
Cranberry AdditionMonongahela National Forest11,123
Cranberry Glades Botanical AreaMonongahela National Forest785
East Fork Of GreenbrierMonongahela National Forest7,167
Falls Of Hills CreekMonongahela National Forest6,925
Laurel ForkMonongahela National Forest1,172
Little MountainMonongahela National Forest8,172
Marlin MountainMonongahela National Forest9,344
Mcgowan MountainMonongahela National Forest10,504
Middle MountainMonongahela National Forest19,020
Mottesheard (WV)Jefferson National Forest3,964
Mountain Lake Addition B (WV)Jefferson National Forest557
Seneca CreekMonongahela National Forest22,287
Tea Creek MountainMonongahela National Forest8,295
References (29)
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  2. Beamer, D. A., and T. Lamb. 2008. Dusky salamanders (Desmognathus, Plethodontidae) from the Coastal Plain: multiple independent lineages and their bearing on the molecular phylogeny of the genus. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 47:143-153.
  3. Beamer, D. A., and T. Lamb. 2020. Towards rectifying limitations on species delineation in dusky salamanders (<i>Desmognathus</i>: Plethodontidae): An ecoregion-drainage sampling grid reveals additional cryptic clades. Zootaxa 4734: 1-61.
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  6. Bonett, R. M. 2002. Analysis of the contact zone between the dusky salamanders <i>Desmognathus fuscus fuscus </i>and <i>Desmognathus fuscus conanti</i> (Caudata: Plethodontidae). Copeia 2002:344-355.
  7. Conant, R. 1975. A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America. Second Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts. xvii + 429 pp.
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  11. DeGraaf, R. M., and D. D. Rudis. 1983a. Amphibians and reptiles of New England. Habitats and natural history. Univ. Massachusetts Press. vii + 83 pp.
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  14. Frost, D.R. 2020. Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. Online: http://research.amnh.org/herpetology/amphibia/index.html
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  16. Grover, M. C., and H. M. Wilbur. 2002. Ecology of ecotones: interactions between salamanders on a complex environmental gradient. Ecology 83: 2112-2123.
  17. Kamstra, J. 1991. Rediscovery of the northern dusky salamander, <i>Desmognathus f. fuscus</i>, in Ontario. Can. Field-Nat. 105: 561-563.
  18. Karlin, A. A., and S. I. Guttman. 1986. Systematics and geographic isozyme variation in the plethodontid salamander <i>Desmognathus fuscus</i> (Rafinesque). Herpetologica 42: 282-301.
  19. Minton, S. A., Jr. 1972. Amphibians and reptiles of Indiana. Indiana Academy Science Monographs 3. v + 346 pp.
  20. Mount, R. H. 1975. The reptiles and amphibians of Alabama. Auburn University Agricultural Experiment Station, Auburn, Alabama. vii + 347 pp.
  21. Pyron, R. A., and D. A. Beamer. 2023. Systematic revision of the Spotted and Northern Dusky Salamanders (Plethodontidae: <i>Desmognathus conanti</i> and <i>D. fuscus</i>), with six new species from the eastern United States. Zootaxa 5311(4): 451-504.
  22. Pyron, R. A., K. A. O'Connell, E. M. Lemmon, and A. R. Lemmon. 2020. Phylogenomic data reveal reticulation and incongruence among mitochondrial candidate species in Dusky Salamanders (<i>Desmognathus</i>). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 146(106751):1-13.
  23. Redmond, W. H., and A. F. Scott. 1996. Atlas of amphibians in Tennessee. The Center for Field Biology, Austin Peay State University, Miscellaneous Publication Number 12. v + 94 pp.
  24. Tilley, S. G. 1988. Hybridization between two species of <i>Desmognathus </i>(Amphibia: Caudata: Plethodontidae) in the Great Smoky Mountains. Herpetol. Monogr. 2:27-39.
  25. Tilley, S. G., J. Bernardo, L. A. Katz, L. López, J. D. Roll, R. L. Eriksen, J. Kratovil, N. K. J. Bittner, and K. A. Crandall. 2013. Failed species, innominate forms, and the vain search for species limits: cryptic diversity in dusky salamanders (<i>Desmognathus</i>) of eastern Tennessee. Ecology and Evolution 3: 2547-2567.
  26. Tilley, S. G., R. L. Eriksen, and L. A. Katz. 2008. Systematics of dusky salamanders, <i>Desmognathus </i>(Caudata: Plethodontidae), in the mountain and Piedmont regions of Virginia and North Carolina, USA. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 152:115-130.
  27. Titus, T. A., and A. Larson. 1996. Molecular phylogenetics of desmognathine salamanders (Caudata: Plethodontidae): a reevaluation of evolution in ecology, life history, and morphology. Systematic Biology 45:451-472.
  28. Willson, J. D., and M. E. Dorcas. 2003. Effects of habitat disturbance on stream salamanders: implications for buffer zones and watershed management. Conservation Biology 17:763-771.
  29. Wyman, R. L. 1988. Soil acidity and moisture and the distribution of amphibians in five forests of southcentral New York. Copeia 1988:394-399.