Description: Webster's salamander is a cryptic species which is morphologically nearly indistinguishable from several other eastern Plethodon species, including red-backed salamanders (P. cinereus, P. serratus) and zigzag salamanders (P. angusticlavius, P. dorsalis, P. ventralis). Like these species, Webster's salamander is a small plethodontid with a wide range of color patterns on a dark brown background. The back often has a red, orange, or yellow dorsal stripe which may have irregular edges, or it may be unstriped entirely. The dorsal stripe, when present, is typically brighter on the tail than the torso. The flanks and underside are speckled with white, red, and black. Webster's salamander is mainly differentiated through genetic data and its geographic range, which mostly does not overlap with similar species.
Habitat: This species is found in the mesophytic forest (maple, hickory, oak, poplar, and elm) bordering rocky feeder streams; under logs, bark, and leaf-litter on forest floor and along rocky streambeds. It is also found in moist forest on steep north-facing slopes with rock outcrops. Rock outcrops are a key feature of this species' habitat, as they provide refugia and nesting sites during the hot and dry summer months.
Range: This species can be found in eastern central Alabama and adjacent Georgia, with scattered, isolated subpopulations in western South Carolina (Greenwood, Edgefield, and McCormick counties), southwestern Alabama, southern Louisiana, and Mississippi. It occupies less than 4 hectares in Louisiana. There is one documented site in excellent condition in Louisiana. In Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina there are >100 extant occurrences. It occurs at elevations below 400 meters above sea level.
Diet: Small individuals feed primarily on mites and springtails. Larger individuals switch to larger prey such as ants, and some feed on large quantities of termites when available.
Reproduction: It is a terrestrial breeder with direct development in the same habitats.
Status: Listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution, presumed large population, and because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category.
Disclaimer: ITIS taxonomy is based on the latest scientific consensus available, and is provided as a general reference source for interested parties. However, it is not a legal authority for statutory or regulatory purposes. While every effort has been made to provide the most reliable and up-to-date information available, ultimate legal requirements with respect to species are contained in provisions of treaties to which the United States is a party, wildlife statutes, regulations, and any applicable notices that have been published in the Federal Register. For further information on U.S. legal requirements with respect to protected taxa, please contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
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