Common names:
Red Hills salamander [1].
Classification:
Kingdom - Animalia
Phylum - Chordata
Class - Amphibia
Order - Caudata
Family - Plethodontidae
Species - Phaeognathus hubrichti
Distribution:
Phaeognathus hubrichti can be found in the Red Hills in Alabama, USA [2]. This species is restricted to two geological formations specific to the region; Tallahatta and Hatchetigbee (Figure 2) [2]. It occurs over a 5000km2 range and occupies ~500km2, the distribution is severely fragmented [2].
Details:
The Red Hills Salamander is found in hardwood forest in ravine rock formations, on steep slopes [1]. This species lives in burrow systems within moist steep slopes in areas free of leaf-litter, in these burrows are where eggs are lain and develop into larvae [2, 3, 4]. It is thought that these salamanders catch invertebrate prey on the surface, to be eaten in their burrows [3]. They can often be found sitting at the entrance to their burrows and likely feed opportunistically [3]. They have been found to eat their own shed skin, this is though to be able to reclaim the epidermal protein [3].
The species can tolerate logging to a certain extent, as long as the burrows are left intact [2]. Exact population numbers are difficult to determine due to the underground and crytic lifestyle of this species, more research is needed to accurately determine but populations are likely decreasing [2, 4]. It is currently protected under the US Endangered Species Act as threatened [2]. Almost all of the population occurs on private land, so close work with the owners is essential to protect this species [1, 2].
Threats to the species:
Logging [2].
Agroforestry (poor practices) [2].
Hunting [2].
Introduced species (pigs) [2].
Similar species:
References:
[1] AmphibiaWeb. (2019). Phaeognathus hubrichti. [ONLINE]. Available at: https://amphibiaweb.org/cgi/amphib_query?where-genus=Phaeognathus&where-species=hubrichti [Accessed 5 May 2019].
[2] IUCN Red List. (2004). Phaeognathus hubrichti. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/16801/6440166. [Accessed 5 May 2019].
[3] Gunzburger, M. (1999). Diet of the Red Hills Salamander Phaeognathus hubrichti. Copeia, 1999(2), 523-525.
[4] Parham, J., Dodd, C., & Zug, G. (1996). Skeletochronological Age Estimates for the Red Hills Salamander, Phaeognathus hubrichti. Journal of Herpetology, 30(3), 401-404. doi:10.2307/1565178
Photo: IUCN Red List. (2004). Phaeognathus hubrichti. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/16801/6440166. [Accessed 5 May 2019].
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