Oregon Slender Salamander – State Wildlife Action Plan

The Oregon slender salamander is a small terrestrial salamander species endemic to Oregon found on the west slope of the Cascade Range. They are deep brown to black in color overall, and have a long, thin body, and a long tail. They have large, blueish-white spots on the sides and belly. Their head is small, with relatively large eyes. They have short, delicate limbs, with four toes on the hind feet. Oregon slender salamanders have intricate color patterns over their deep brown to black background color. On their back, they have a mottled, reddish stripe from snout to tail. Their skin is smooth and moist. Adults average 3.5 to 4.5 inches in length from nose to tail. Hatchlings and juveniles have longer legs relative to body size, a shorter tail, and have a less prominent stripe than adults, but overall very closely resemble adults. The number of toes on their hind foot (four) and the diagnostic large blueish-white blotches on their sides differentiate Oregon slender salamanders from all other salamander species in Oregon.

Overview

Species Common Name Oregon Slender Salamander
Species Scientific Name Batrachoseps wrighti
Federal Listing Status Species of Concern
State Listing Status Sensitive

Ecoregions

East Cascades

The East Cascade ecoregion extends from the Cascade Mountains' summit east to the warmer, drier high desert and down the length of the state. This ecoregion varies dramatically from its cool, moist border with the West Cascades ecoregion to its dry eastern border, where it meets sagebrush desert landscapes.

West Cascades

The West Cascades ecoregion extends from east of the Cascade Mountains summit to the foothills of the Willamette, Umpqua, and Rogue Valleys, and spans the entire length of the state of Oregon. It is largely dominated by conifer forests, moving into alpine parklands and dwarf shrubs at higher elevations.

Willamette Valley

The Willamette Valley ecoregion is bounded on the west by the Coast Range and on the east by the Cascade Range. This long mostly level alluvial plain has some scattered areas of low basalt, and contrasts with productive farmland and large urban areas. It has the fastest-growing human population in the state resulting in challenges due to land-use changes.

Special needs

Oregon slender salamanders inhabit late-successional and second-growth forests. They are often associated with large-diameter, heavily decayed Douglas fir logs and bark debris mounds at the base of snags. They may also occur in talus and lava fields that retain moisture, and areas with mixed coniferous and deciduous duff over mineral and organic soils. The latter duff accumulations are often found along margins of little-used roads, likely due to runoff patterns and substrate type. Microclimate characteristics, specifically temperature and moisture, within a forest are important for the species. Oregon slender salamanders may clump together in groups to remain damp.

Limiting factors

The Oregon slender salamander is endemic to the Cascade Mountains of Oregon. The Columbia River limits their dispersal. Given their restricted distribution, Oregon slender salamanders are vulnerable to stochastic events. They require habitat complexity characteristic of late-successional and unmanaged, younger forests, are vulnerable to land management actions that disturb or remove ground cover, and have experienced significant loss of habitat. Climate change may accelerate habitat loss trends in the coming decades. They exhibit low mobility and high site fidelity to breeding areas– life history traits that may increase vulnerability of populations to loss and fragmentation of habitats.

Data gaps

• Improve understanding of habitat requirements and distribution.
• Identify key ecological and demographic parameters including movement rates, longevity, sex ratios, recruitment, and survival.
• Determine importance of habitat connectivity for the Oregon slender salamander and evaluate the effects of habitat fragmentation on survival and genetics.
• Assess how upland forest management and riparian buffer widths affect population parameters.
• Evaluate the effects of land management practices, fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides on this species.
• Research the effects of fire and climate change on occupancy and abundance.
• Evaluate population trends.
• Evaluate whether and to what extent conservations actions for Northern Spotted Owl are benefiting this species.

Conservation actions

• Maintain well-distributed habitat with late-successional attributes suitable for this species and retain or recruit large woody debris.
• Consider the species’ habitat needs during forest planning and management activities, and plan actions to limit overlap with periods of salamander surface activity.
• Monitor restoration effectiveness.
• Identify regionally important sites and maintain connectivity between them.

Key reference or plan

Validation of the Oregon slender salamander habitat suitability model and map for the west slope of the Oregon Cascade Range Read here

Conservation Assessment for the Oregon Slender Salamander (Batrachoseps wrighti) Read here

Vesely, D. G. (1999). Habitat selection by Oregon slender salamanders (Batracoseps wrighti) in the Western Oregon Cascades. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. ODFW.