Cascade torrent salamander

The Cascade torrent salamander (Rhyacotriton cascadae) is a species of salamander in the family Rhyacotritonidae. It is endemic to the Pacific Northwest in the United States where it is found from Skamania County in Washington south to Lane County in Oregon on the west slope of the Cascade Mountains.[1]

Cascade torrent salamander
In Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, Oregon, US

Near Threatened  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Urodela
Family: Rhyacotritonidae
Genus: Rhyacotriton
Species:
R. cascadae
Binomial name
Rhyacotriton cascadae
Good & Wake, 1992

Its natural habitats are temperate forests, rivers, and freshwater springs. It is threatened by habitat loss. These salamanders are typically found under rocks and fallen logs.[1] As far as movement, cascade torrent salamander can stay in a small area over very long periods. They also tend to move parallel to the streams they live by. Living by the stream creates a wide range of general lifespan because the salamanders can die from severe flooding of the stream.[2]

References
  1. Hammerson, G. (2004). "Rhyacotriton cascadae". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2004: e.T59435A11941314. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2004.RLTS.T59435A11941314.en.
  2. Nijhuis, Michelle T. (1998). "Movement Patterns and Life History Characteristics in a Population of the Cascade Torrent Salamander (Rhyacotriton cascadae) in the Columbia River Gorge, Oregon". Journal of Herpetology. 32 (2): 301–304. doi:10.2307/1565317. JSTOR 1565317.


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