Roadless Areas
Home/Species/ White-spotted Slimy Salamander

Plethodon cylindraceus

(Harlan, 1825)

White-spotted Slimy Salamander

G5Secure Found in 44 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.104153
Element CodeAAAAD12410
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAmphibia
OrderCaudata
FamilyPlethodontidae
GenusPlethodon
Concept Reference
Highton, R., G.C. Maha, and L.R. Maxson. 1989. Biochemical evolution in the slimy salamanders of the Plethodon glutinosus complex in the eastern United States. Illinois Biological Monographs 57:1-153.
Taxonomic Comments
This taxon was formerly included in P. glutinosus and recognized as a distinct species by Highton et al. (1989).
Conservation Status
Review Date2004-08-23
Change Date2001-10-31
Edition Date2004-08-23
Edition AuthorsHammerson, G.
Rank Reasons
Secure; not universally accepted as a valid species.
Range Extent Comments
This species occurs in the Piedmont and Blue Ridge physiographic provinces of Virginia and North Carolina west to the French Broad River and south to the northern Piedmont of South Carolina, and parts of the Valley and Ridge physiographic province in western Virginia and extreme eastern West Virginia and in a small area of the Coastal Plain of eastern Virginia (Highton et al. 1989); also probably the Blue Ridge Mountains and Valley and Ridge provinces in northeastern Tennessee (Redmond and Scott 1996). Elevational range at least 137-1,036 m (Highton et al. 1989). Moskwik (2014) documented significant elevational range changes since the 1940s.
Occurrences Comments
Represented by many and/or large occurrences throughout most of the range.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Forest habitats; terrestrial breeder.
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest - Hardwood
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
VirginiaS5Yes
North CarolinaS5Yes
South CarolinaS5Yes
West VirginiaS5Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
5 - Biological resource use——High (continuing)
5.3 - Logging & wood harvesting——High (continuing)

—

Roadless Areas (44)
North Carolina (12)
AreaForestAcres
Balsam ConePisgah National Forest10,591
BearwallowPisgah National Forest4,113
Craggy MountainPisgah National Forest2,657
Dobson KnobPisgah National Forest6,111
Harper CreekPisgah National Forest7,325
Jarrett CreekPisgah National Forest7,485
Laurel MountainPisgah National Forest5,683
Linville Gorge AdditionPisgah National Forest2,809
Lost CovePisgah National Forest5,944
Mackey MountainPisgah National Forest5,934
South Mills RiverPisgah National Forest8,588
Wilson CreekPisgah National Forest4,863
Tennessee (5)
AreaForestAcres
Beaver Dam CreekCherokee National Forest5,070
Flint Mill GapCherokee National Forest9,494
Sampson Mountain AdditionCherokee National Forest3,064
Slide HollowCherokee National Forest4,057
Stone MountainCherokee National Forest5,367
Virginia (26)
AreaForestAcres
Adams PeakGeorge Washington National Forest7,135
Beards MountainGeorge Washington National Forest7,505
Beaver Dam CreekJefferson National Forest1,135
Brush MountainJefferson National Forest6,002
Crawford MountainGeorge Washington National Forest9,892
Gum RunGeorge Washington National Forest12,620
Hoop HoleJefferson National Forest4,652
JerkemtightGeorge Washington National Forest16,687
Kelley MountainGeorge Washington National Forest7,590
Little RiverGeorge Washington National Forest27,292
Mill MountainGeorge Washington National Forest10,840
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
Raccoon BranchJefferson National Forest4,388
Ramseys Draft AdditionGeorge Washington National Forest12,781
Saint Marys AdditionGeorge Washington National Forest1,454
Seng MountainJefferson National Forest6,428
SkidmoreGeorge Washington National Forest5,641
Southern MassanuttenGeorge Washington National Forest11,985
The FriarsGeorge Washington National Forest2,035
The PriestGeorge Washington National Forest5,737
Three RidgesGeorge Washington National Forest4,745
Three SistersGeorge Washington National Forest8,149
West Virginia (1)
AreaForestAcres
Dry River (WV)George Washington National Forest7,331
References (15)
  1. Blackburn, L., P. Nanjappa, and M. J. Lannoo. 2001. An Atlas of the Distribution of U.S. Amphibians. Copyright, Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana, USA.
  2. Carr, D. E. 1996. Morphological variation among species and populations of salamanders in the <i>Plethodon glutinosus</i> complex. Herpetologica 52:56-65.
  3. Collins, J. T., and T. W. Taggart. 2002. Standard common and current scientific names for North American amphibians, turtles, reptiles, & crocodilians. Fifth edition. Publication of The Center for North American Herpetology, Lawrence, Kansas. iv + 44 pp.
  4. Crother, B. I. (editor). 2017. Scientific and standard English names of amphibians and reptiles of North America north of Mexico, with comments regarding confidence in our understanding. 8th edition. SSAR Herpetological Circular 43:1-104. [Updates in SSAR North American Species Names Database at: https://ssarherps.org/cndb]
  5. Crother, B. I., J. Boundy, J. A. Campbell, K. de Queiroz, D. R. Frost, R. Highton, J. B. Iverson, P. A. Meylan, T. W. Reeder, M. E. Seidel, J. W. Sites, Jr., T. W. Taggart, S. G. Tilley, and D. B. Wake. 2000 [2001]. Scientific and standard English names of amphibians and reptiles of North America north of Mexico, with comments regarding confidence in our understanding. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, Herpetological Circular No. 29. 82 pp.
  6. Crother, B. I., J. Boundy, J. A. Campbell, K. de Quieroz, D. Frost, D. M. Green, R. Highton, J. B. Iverson, R. W. McDiarmid, P. A. Meylan, T. W. Reeder, M. E. Seidel, J. W. Sites, Jr., S. G. Tilley, and D. B. Wake. 2003. Scientific and standard English names of amphibians and reptiles of North America north of Mexico: update. Herpetological Review 34:198-203.
  7. Frost, D. R. 1985. Amphibian species of the world. A taxonomic and geographical reference. Allen Press, Inc., and The Association of Systematics Collections, Lawrence, Kansas. v + 732 pp.
  8. 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
  9. Frost, D. R., and D. M. Hillis. 1990. Species in concept and practice: herpetological applications. Herpetologica 46:87-104.
  10. Highton, R., G.C. Maha, and L.R. Maxson. 1989. Biochemical evolution in the slimy salamanders of the <i>Plethodon glutinosus</I> complex in the eastern United States. Illinois Biological Monographs 57:1-153.
  11. Mahoney, M. J. 2001. Molecular systematics of <i>Plethodon </i>and <i>Aneides </i>(Caudata: Plethodontini): phylogenetic analysis of an old and rapid radiation. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 18:174-188.
  12. Moskwik, M. 2014. Recent elevational range expansions in plethodontid salamanders (Amphibia: Plethodontidae) in the southern Appalachian Mountains. Journal of Biogeography 41:1957-1966.
  13. Nicholson, K. E. (ed.). 2025. Scientific and Standard English Names of Amphibians and Reptiles of North America North of Mexico, with Comments Regarding Confidence in Our Understanding. Ninth Edition. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. 87 pp. Online database available at: https://cnah.org/SSARnames.aspx
  14. Petranka, J. W. 1998. Salamanders of the United States and Canada. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C.
  15. 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.