Plethodon idahoensis,  Coeur d'Alene Salamander

 

Taxonomy:

 

Kingdom: Animalia

 

Phylum: Chordata

 

Subphylum: Vertebrata

 

Class: Amphibia

 

Order: Caudata

 

Family: Plethodontidae

 

Genus: Plethodon

 

Species: idahoensis

 

 

 

 

 

 Photo by Jeremia Degenhardt

 

 

 

 

Description:

 

 

Plethodon idahoensis can be identified by a narrow yellow stripe with scalloped borders down the dorsal side of the body.  They are very similar to the Van Dyke's Salamander but are usually darker.  The upper sides of the body as well as the limb bases of the body contrast with the yellow stripe with a dark color.  There is a conspicuous yellow patch on the throat.  The Coeur d'Alene Salamader ranges from 1 3/4 to 2 3/5 inches long (Wilson 1997).

 

 

 

 

Distribution:

 

 

The Coeur d'Alene Salamander is located mainly in North Idaho and North West Montana.  They are also found up in parts of Canada.  In Idaho they are located up in the areas of the North Fork of The Clearwater River, the Moyie River, and Selway drainage systems.  In Montana they can be found near Sweathouse Creek in the Bitterroot Drainage, and the South Fork of the Yaak River.

 

 

 

 

                                                     

                                   Photo by Kirwin Werner                                                                                                                                       Photo by Suzanne L. Collins

 

 

 

Habitat:

 

The habitat occupied by the Coeur d'Alene Salamander includes the three major habitat categories: springs and seeps, waterfall spray zones, and stream edges (Wilson and Larson 1988).  They require habitats that are wet and humid, because the salamnders need to stay moist and wet.  They present in damp forests at elevations of 3300-5000 ft.

 

 

Behavior:

 

 

These salamanders are non-migrant, so they go into hibernation in November and are active again in late March early April.  The Coeur d'Alene Salamander is nocturnal, and only come out when the temperature is above 45 degrees F. 

 

 

 

Diet:

 

 

The Coeur d'Alene Salamander is an invertivore.  They feed on insects, other invertebrates, including millipeds, mites, spiders, harvestmen, snails, and segmented worms (Wilson and Larson 1988).

 

 

Reproduction:

 

 

Salamaners mate in late summer and fall above ground.  The female stores the sperm for nine months before fertilizing the egss.  The female salamder lays her eggs underground from April to May and hatch in mid-September.  The eggs are laid in damp crevices. (Wilson and Larson 1988)

 

 

References:

 

 

Wilson, A.G., Larson, J.H.  "Activity and Diet in Seepage Dwelling Coeur d'Alene Salamander (Plethodon idahoensis)."  Northwest Science 62 (1988): 211-217

 

Wilson, A.G.  "U.S. Distribution of the Coeur d'Alene Salamder." Great Basin Naturalist 57 (1997) 359-362