Salamanders Of Washington

The state of Washington has plenty of natural woodlands and water sources in which amphibians can thrive. The state is home to 14 salamander species who live in the cool streams and rivers of the Pacific Northwest. Two of the native species actually only occur in the state and are not found wild anywhere else in the world.

Lungless Salamanders

Of the 250 species in the lungless salamander family, five live in Washington. The Van Dyke salamander is in this family and is one of the species found only in Washington. It lives in the mountain streams of the state's southern forests. It grows to around 4 inches in length and has a slim, orange-to-yellow body. The other lungless salamanders in the state are the western red-backed, Larch mountain, Dunn's and the ensatina.

Mole Salamanders

Mole salamanders are so named because they tend to dig burrows in which to hide and live. Washington is home to three species of mole salamanders, the largest of which is the tiger salamander, which grows to over a foot in length. It is the largest terrestrial salamander species in the U.S. The two other mole salamanders native to the state are the long-toed and the northwestern varieties.

Torrent Salamanders

Torrent salamanders, as the name suggests, prefer fast-moving streams and rivers. These salamanders have a low tolerance for heat and prefer the cold mountain streams found in Washington. The state is home to three species in this family. The Olympic mountain salamander is the other species only found in Washington, occurring solely in the Olympic mountain range. The other two species are the cascade and Columbia salamanders, both of which are found in mountain streams in southern Washington and northern Oregon.

Giant Salamanders

The giant salamander family is only found in the Pacific Northwest and consists of just four species. Only two of these species are found in Washington, the largest of which is the coastal giant salamander. It grows to just over 1 foot in length and is one of the largest terrestrial species. The other is Cope's giant salamander, which grows to almost 8 inches in length. Both species are native to the southern mountain ranges of the state.

Newts

All newts are salamanders, and only one of the state's species is commonly referred to as a newt. The rough-skinned newt is found along the Pacific coast, from Washington to California. It grows to just over 8 inches in length. It is found in slow-moving streams or small ponds, preferring little to no current movement.

References

• The Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture: Amphibians of Washington
• University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Ambystoma
• University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Dicamptodontidae: Heather Heying
• University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Plethodontidae: Heather Heying
• University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Rhyacotritonidae: Heather Heying
• University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Taricha Granulosa: Amanda Lorenz