Oregon slender salamander
{{Short description|Species of amphibian}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = Batrachoseps wrighti.jpg
| status = NT
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| taxon = Batrachoseps wrighti
| authority = (Bishop, 1937)
| synonyms =
- Plethopsis wrighti Bishop, 1937
- Batrachoseps wrightorum (Bishop, 1937)
}}
The Oregon slender salamander (Batrachoseps wrighti) is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae from the Northwestern United States.{{cite web |url=http://research.amnh.org/vz/herpetology/amphibia/Amphibia/Caudata/Plethodontidae/Hemidactyliinae/Batrachoseps/Batrachoseps-wrighti |title=Batrachoseps wrighti (Bishop, 1937) |author=Frost, Darrel R. |year=2015 |work=Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0 |publisher=American Museum of Natural History |access-date=10 April 2015}}
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.{{cite journal|last1=Bury |first1=RB |last2=Corn |first2=PS |year=1988 |title=Douglas-fir forests in the Oregon and Washington Cascades: abundance of terrestrial herpetofauna related to stand age and moisture|journal=Management of Amphibians, Reptiles and Small Mammals in North America. US Forest Service, General Technical Report RM-GTR-166|pages=11–22 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/99536}}
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.{{cite web|author=Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife|title=Oregon Conservation Strategy|url=http://www.dfw.state.or.us/conservationstrategy/|publisher=Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife|year=2006}}
Habitat
The species' natural habitats are temperate forests of moist Douglas fir, maple, and red cedar woodlands in Oregon, to {{convert|3000|ft|m|disp=flip}}.
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.{{cite journal|last=Carey |first=AB |year=1989 |title=Wildlife associated with old growth forest in the PNW|journal=Natural Areas Journal|volume=9|pages=151–162}} The species has also been found in a suburban landscape.{{cite journal|author=Guderyahn, Laura|author2=Curtis Musson|author3=Ashley Smithers|author4=Benyamin Wishnek|author5=Charlotte Corkran|name-list-style=amp|year=2010 |title=Observations of Oregon slender salamanders (Batrachoseps wrighti) in suburban landscapes |journal= Northwestern Naturalist|volume=91|issue=3|pages=325–328 |doi=10.1898/NWN09-41.1}}
Description
They have a long thin body and grow to {{convert|61|mm|abbr=on}} in snout–vent length and {{convert|120|mm|abbr=on}} in total length, though most individuals are smaller. They have four toes on the hind feet.{{cite web |url=http://www.amphibiaweb.org/cgi/amphib_query?where-genus=Batrachoseps&where-species=wrighti |title=Batrachoseps wrighti |year=2015 |work=AmphibiaWeb: Information on amphibian biology and conservation. [web application] |publisher=Berkeley, California: AmphibiaWeb |access-date=10 April 2015}}
Behaviour
References
{{Commons|Batrachoseps wrighti}}
{{Reflist|2}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q2211324}}
Category:Endemic amphibians of the United States
Category:Fauna of the Northwestern United States
Category:Endemic fauna of Oregon