The southern Appalachian salamander (''Plethodon teyahalee'') is a species of

salamander Salamanders are a group of amphibians typically characterized by their lizard-like appearance, with slender bodies, blunt snouts, short limbs projecting at right angles to the body, and the presence of a tail in both larvae and adults. All t ...

in the family

Plethodontidae Plethodontidae, or lungless salamanders, are a family of salamanders. With over 500 species, lungless salamanders are by far the largest family of salamanders in terms of their diversity. Most species are native to the Western Hemisphere, from B ...

. This species also belongs in the ''Plethodon Glutinosus complex'', which is also known as the group of Lungless Slimy Salamanders in the Eastern United States.

Description

The Southern Appalachian Salamander, ''P. teyahalee'', is a large black salamander with very small dorsal white spots and larger lateral white spots. Females also tend to be larger than males, which assists them in carrying eggs. The belly of this species is usually a slate gray, and the chin is usually a lighter coloration than the belly. They can reach sizes between 7 and 17 cm (4.75 in to 6.75 in). They have about 16 costal grooves on their lateral side.

Distribution

''P. teyahalee'' is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

to the southern

Appalachian Mountains The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, are a mountain range in eastern to northeastern North America. The term "Appalachian" refers to several different regions associated with the mountain range, and its surrounding terrain ...

in the

southeastern United States The Southeastern United States, also known as the American Southeast or simply the Southeast, is a geographical List of regions in the United States, region of the United States located in the eastern portion of the Southern United States and t ...

, where it is found in small portions of North Georgia, northwestern South Carolina, west of the

French Broad River The French Broad River is a river in the U.S. states of North Carolina and Tennessee. It flows from near the town of Rosman, North Carolina, Rosman in Transylvania County, North Carolina, into Tennessee, where its confluence with the Holston R ...

in western North Carolina, and smaller areas of eastern Tennessee, including parts of the

Great Smoky Mountains The Great Smoky Mountains (, ''Equa Dutsusdu Dodalv'') are a mountain range rising along the Tennessee–North Carolina border in the southeastern United States. They are a subrange of the Appalachian Mountains and form part of the Blue Ridg ...

. The salamander's altitudinal range extends to 1,550 m. Its natural

habitat In ecology, habitat refers to the array of resources, biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species' habitat can be seen as the physical manifestation of its ...

is temperate Appalachian

forest A forest is an ecosystem characterized by a dense ecological community, community of trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, ...

Habitat Association

''P. teyahalee'' is found at low elevations in moist deciduous forests and woodlands. They tend to stay at these elevations because species at higher elevations are more aggressive and push them down the mountains, preventing them from taking over. As generalists, they can thrive in a variety of environments with differing moisture and temperature levels. This adaptability, along with their resilience to threats like logging and habitat disturbances, helps them survive in changing conditions. They forage and reproduce on the forest floor before seeking refuge in moist microhabitats, cover objects, or retreat holes once dehydration starts. Individuals in their endemic areas had multiple retreat holes, unlike other species. This suggests that P. teyahalee may live in drier areas, requiring more frequent escapes to prevent drying out.

Reproduction

''P. teyahalee'' repopulates with other individuals around their respective elevations. They also participate in hybridization at different elevations, a behavior studied in

Plethodon ''Plethodon'' is a genus of salamanders in the family Plethodontidae. They are commonly known as woodland salamanders. All members of the genus are endemic to North America (Canada and the United States). They have no aquatic larval stage. In som ...

species since Hairston and Highton's work over 50 years ago. Hybridization occurs when two different species produce offspring with traits from both parents. ''P. teyahalee'' often hybridizes with high-elevation species like the Red-Legged Salamander, ''P. shermani'', and Cheoah Bald Salamanders, ''P. cheoah''. An example would be where the red legs from ''P. shermani'' pass over, as well as the white spots from ''P. teyahalee'' onto the offspring.

References

Plethodon Ecology of the Appalachian Mountains Endemic amphibians of the United States Salamander, Southern Appalachian Natural history of the Great Smoky Mountains Natural history of South Carolina Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Amphibians described in 1983 {{Plethodontidae-stub