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Home/Species/ Western Red-Backed Salamander

Plethodon vehiculum

(Cooper, 1860)

Western Red-Backed Salamander

G5Secure Found in 39 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
LowThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.100174
Element CodeAAAAD12200
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAmphibia
OrderCaudata
FamilyPlethodontidae
GenusPlethodon
Other Common Names
Salamandre à dos rayé (FR) Western Red-backed Salamander (EN) western redback salamander (EN)
Concept Reference
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.
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2016-02-02
Change Date2001-10-31
Edition Date2002-03-27
Edition AuthorsHammerson, G.
Threat ImpactLow
Range Extent20,000-200,000 square km (about 8000-80,000 square miles)
Rank Reasons
Common and still well distributed throughout the historical range in western Oregon, western Washington, and southwestern British Columbia.
Range Extent Comments
Southwestern British Columbia, including Vancouver Island, south through western Washington to southwestern Oregon (Petranka 1998). Sea level to about 4100 ft (1250 m) (Stebbins 1985).
Occurrences Comments
Represented by many and/or large occurrences throughout most of the range.
Threat Impact Comments
Logging is not a major threat because this species maintains thriving populations in young forests.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Humid coniferous forests; damp talus slopes and shaded ravines. Found under rocks, logs, leaf litter, and other forest debris. On Vancouver Island, small individuals were found under small rocks and away from discrete cover objects in leaf litter and under moss more frequently than were larger individuals (Ovaska and Gregory 1989). Lays eggs on land in moist retreats.

Ecology

In British Columbia, mean distance between the two farthest captures over several months was 2.7 m (range up to 8-9 m) for adult males, which moved greater distances than did adult females and juveniles (Ovaska 1988); captures during the active season ranged from 0.3-1.16 per sq m, highest in spring (Ovaska and Gregory 1989).

Reproduction

In Oregon, breeds mainly from November-early March; courtship occurs in autumn on Vancouver Island (Ovaska and Gregory 1989). Female lays a clutch of about 10 eggs in the spring, broods them during the summer. Hatchlings appear in autumn. Female oviposits at intervals of 2 years or more; male produces sperm every year.
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest - ConiferBare rock/talus/scree
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN4
ProvinceRankNative
British ColumbiaS4Yes
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
WashingtonS5Yes
OregonS5Yes
Roadless Areas (39)
Oregon (16)
AreaForestAcres
Bull Of The WoodsMt. Hood National Forest8,843
Drift CreekSiuslaw National Forest6,333
EagleMt. Hood National Forest16,841
FairviewUmpqua National Forest7,417
Hardesty MountainWillamette National Forest3,754
Hardesty MountainUmpqua National Forest2,597
Hebo 1aSiuslaw National Forest13,930
LarchMt. Hood National Forest12,961
Limpy RockUmpqua National Forest6,782
Opal CreekWillamette National Forest5,417
Smith UmpquaSiuslaw National Forest7,622
TahkenitchSiuslaw National Forest5,799
TenmileSiuslaw National Forest10,818
Umpqua SpitSiuslaw National Forest2,090
Williams CreekUmpqua National Forest5,844
WoahinkSiuslaw National Forest5,309
Washington (23)
AreaForestAcres
Bear CreekGifford Pinchot National Forest7,980
Boulder RiverMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest32,563
Eagle RockMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest34,064
EntiatWenatchee National Forest72,617
Glacier Peak JMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest26,482
Glacier Peak KMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest47,269
Glacier Peak LMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest14,084
Jefferson RidgeOlympic National Forest6,512
Jupiter RidgeOlympic National Forest10,148
LightningOlympic National Forest7,179
Madison CreekOlympic National Forest1,223
Moonlight DomeOlympic National Forest4,919
Mt. Baker MaMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest24,847
Mt. Baker Noisy - DiobsudMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest56,039
Mt. BaldyOlympic National Forest3,557
Mt. ZionOlympic National Forest3,544
QuilceneOlympic National Forest18,656
Rock CreekWenatchee National Forest32,239
SiouxonGifford Pinchot National Forest12,773
South QuinaultOlympic National Forest11,081
TumwaterGifford Pinchot National Forest8,676
Twin LakesWenatchee National Forest22,496
Upper SkokomishOlympic National Forest9,311
References (14)
  1. Behler, J. L., and F. W. King. 1979. The Audubon Society field guide to North American reptiles and amphibians. Alfred A. Knopf, New York. 719 pp.
  2. 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.
  3. 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]
  4. 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.
  5. 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
  6. Leonard, W. P., H. A. Brown, L. L. C. Jones, K. R. McAllister, and R. M. Storm. 1993. Amphibians of Washington and Oregon. Seattle Audubon Society, Seattle, Washington. viii + 168 pp.
  7. 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.
  8. Nussbaum, R.A., E.D. Brodie, Jr., and R.M. Storm. 1983. Amphibians and Reptiles of the Pacific Northwest. University Press of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho. 332 pp.
  9. Ovaska, K. 1988. Spacing and movements of the salamander PLETHODON CINEREUS. Herpetologica 44:377-386.
  10. Ovaska, K., and P. T. Gregory. 1989. Population structure, growth, and reproduction in a Vancouver Island population of the salamander PLETHODON VEHICULUM. Herpetologica 45:133-143.
  11. Petranka, J. W. 1998. Salamanders of the United States and Canada. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C.
  12. Stebbins, R. C. 1985a. A field guide to western reptiles and amphibians. Second edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts. xiv + 336 pp.
  13. Storm, R.M. and Brodie, E.D. Jr. 1970. Plethodon vehiculum. Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles. 83:1-2.
  14. Washington Herp Atlas. 2009 (map products updated March 2017). A cooperative effort of Washington Natural Heritage Program, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S.D.I. Bureau of Land Management, and U.S. Forest Service. 250 pp.