Hillis's dwarf salamander explained

Hillis's dwarf salamander (Eurycea hillisi) is a species of salamander endemic to the southern United States.^{[1] [2] [3]}

Taxonomy

It was previously thought to be a population of the southeastern dwarf salamander (E. quadridigitata) but a 2017 study found it to be a distinct species based on genetic evidence, and described it as E. hillisi. It is named in honor of American evolutionary biologist David Hillis. It is unlikely that any previous studies had analyzed populations of this species.^[4]

Distribution

It is found throughout the southern half of Alabama outside of the Mobile Bay region, and ranges east into mid-central Georgia and south to the central Florida Panhandle.^[3]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Eurycea hillisi Wray, Means, and Steppan, 2017 Amphibian Species of the World. 2021-12-21. amphibiansoftheworld.amnh.org.
2. Web site: NatureServe Explorer 2.0. 2021-12-21. explorer.natureserve.org.
3. Web site: AmphibiaWeb - Eurycea hillisi. 2021-12-21. amphibiaweb.org.
4. Wray. Kenneth P.. Means. D. Bruce. Steppan. Scott J.. December 2017. Revision of the Eurycea quadridigitata (Holbrook 1842) Complex of Dwarf Salamanders (Caudata: Plethodontidae: Hemidactyliinae) with a Description of Two New Species. Herpetological Monographs. 31. 1. 18–46. 10.1655/HERPMONOGRAPHS-D-16-00011. 90138747. 0733-1347.