Oregon slender salamander explained

The Oregon slender salamander (Batrachoseps wrighti) is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae from the Northwestern United States.[1]

Distribution

The Oregon slender salamander is endemic to north-central Oregon, found particularly on the western slopes of the Cascade Range but also in some sites on the eastern slopes.[2]

Conservation

The Oregon slender salamander is threatened by habitat loss and classified as IUCN Red List Near threatened.It is federally listed as a Species of Concern. The state of Oregon has listed it as sensitive in the Oregon Conservation Strategy.[3]

Habitat

The species' natural habitats are temperate forests of moist Douglas fir, maple, and red cedar woodlands in Oregon, to 3000feet.They are typically found in old growth habitat, associated with late-successional Douglas fir forests. However they have been found in earlier succession forest with larger logs and much downed woody debris. They are found in large diameter decayed logs. They prefer habitats that have a closed canopy.[4] The species has also been found in a suburban landscape.[5]

Description

They have a long thin body and grow to 61mm in snout–vent length and 120mm in total length, though most individuals are smaller. They have four toes on the hind feet.[6]

Clutch size is 3–11 and the eggs are 4 mm in diameter.[6]

Behaviour

When found this species will coil its body up and remain motionless.[6]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Batrachoseps wrighti (Bishop, 1937) . Frost, Darrel R. . 2015 . Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0 . American Museum of Natural History . 10 April 2015.
  2. Bury . RB . Corn . PS . 1988 . Douglas-fir forests in the Oregon and Washington Cascades: abundance of terrestrial herpetofauna related to stand age and moisture. Management of Amphibians, Reptiles and Small Mammals in North America. US Forest Service, General Technical Report RM-GTR-166. 11–22 .
  3. Web site: Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Oregon Conservation Strategy. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. 2006.
  4. Carey . AB . 1989 . Wildlife associated with old growth forest in the PNW. Natural Areas Journal. 9. 151–162.
  5. Guderyahn, Laura. Curtis Musson. Ashley Smithers. Benyamin Wishnek. Charlotte Corkran. amp. 2010 . Observations of Oregon slender salamanders (Batrachoseps wrighti) in suburban landscapes . Northwestern Naturalist. 91. 3. 325–328 . 10.1898/NWN09-41.1.
  6. Web site: Batrachoseps wrighti . 2015 . AmphibiaWeb: Information on amphibian biology and conservation. [web application] . Berkeley, California: AmphibiaWeb . 10 April 2015.