Van Dyke's salamander
| Van Dyke's salamander | |
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Caudata |
| Family: | Plethodontidae |
| Genus: | Plethodon |
| Species: | P. vandykei |
| Binomial name | |
| Plethodon vandykei Van Denburgh, 1906 | |
Van Dyke's salamander, Plethodon vandykei, is a salamander in the order Caudata and the family Plethodontidae. Recently, the species has been used in research to find out about the geomorphic conditions in Washington.
Description
Van Dyke's salamander grows up to 6.2 cm long, and has large parotid glands on either side of its head. This salamander usually has a dark-colored belly that may have white flecks across it. Several different colour patterns or "phases" have been observed; yellow/orange, rose/salmon pink, and yellow-striped with black sides. These differences in colouration are believed to be due to variations in the climate. The adult males' yellow throat markings are used in courtship. The species is most active at night when conditions are moist and above freezing.
Identification
Van Dyke's salamander has 14 costal grooves. They also have one-half to three costal folds between the toes of their adpressed limbs. These salamanders have the nasolabial grooves of lungless salamanders. The dorsal stripe on Van Dyke's salamander appears to have drops of color extending down the sides. The presence of parotoid glands also sets Van Dyke's salamander apart from other salamanders. They also lack constriction at the base of their tails, which distinguishes them from Ensatina.
Subspecies
- Washington salamander, P. v. vandykei
- Coeur D'Alene salamander, P. v. idahoensis
Habitat
Like most terrestrial salamanders, Van Dyke's salamander lives near lakes, rivers, and streams under various objects, such as rocks, logs, and bark. Salamanders' habitat range from wide-open lowlands to heavily wooded mountains. They lay their eggs in the woods.
Distribution
The species is endemic to the western portion of Washington, northern Idaho, and northwestern Montana in the USA. It is predominantly located in hilly or mountainous regions, such as the Olympic Hills, the Willapa Hills and the Cascade Mountains.
Behavior
Van Dyke's salamanders are most active after the snow melts in the spring, before the high temperatures of the summer season set in, and in the rainy portion of the fall season, before the cold temperature hits. The species is sometimes active during the hot summer months, but only if it lives in a particularly wet habitat.
Reproduction
Van Dyke's salamanders lay eggs in small clusters, usually within cavities in decaying bark. The female attends the eggs until development is complete. The eggs hatch into fully developed small salamanders. Eggs are usually laid in the spring and the females guard them during the summer.
References
- ↑ Insectivore Specialist Group (1996). Condylura cristata. 2006. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. www.iucnredlist.org. Retrieved on 2006-05-12.
- http://research.amnh.org/herpetology/amphibia/references.php?id=26888
- http://www.northwestherps.com/vandykei.html
- http://www.washington.edu/burkemuseum/collections/herpetology/pvandyke.htm
- http://www.biodiversity.wa.gov/documents/Herp%20pdfs/Van%20Dyke.pdf
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi?mode=Info&id=154592&lvl=3&p=mapview&p=has_linkout&p=blast_url&p=genome_blast&keep=1&srchmode=1&unlock&lin=f