Cope's Giant Salamander
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| Cope's Giant Salamander | ||||||||||||||
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| Dicamptodon copei Nussbaum, 1970 |
The Cope's Giant Salamander (Dicamptodon copei) is a species of salamander in the Dicamptodontidae family. It reaches between 4 7/8-7 1/2" (12.4-19.1 cm). The salamander resembles Pacific Giant Salamander larvae, but it never transforms to a terrestrial stage. It is smaller overall with a narrower head and shorter limbs. It is brown above with patches of yellowish-tan covering clusters of white skin glands, its belly is dark bluish-gray. The salamander has 12-13 inconspicuous costal grooves.
[edit] Behaviour
The Cope's Giant Salamanders habits in the wild are largely unknown. No transformed adults have ever been encountered in the wild, but mature larvae in the lab have been transformed via thyroid treatments.
[edit] Habitat & Range
It is endemic to the United States. But is only encountered on the Olympic Peninsula, Washington. Its natural habitats are temperate forests, rivers, freshwater lakes, and freshwater marshes. It is threatened by habitat loss.
[edit] Sources
- Hammerson, G. 2004. Dicamptodon copei. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 24 July 2007.
- National Audubon Society Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians
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