Shasta salamander facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Shasta salamander |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Urodela |
| Family: | Plethodontidae |
| Subfamily: | Plethodontinae |
| Genus: | Hydromantes |
| Species: |
H. shastae
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| Binomial name | |
| Hydromantes shastae Gorman & Camp, 1953
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The Shasta salamander (Hydromantes shastae) is a special kind of salamander that lives only in Shasta County in California. It belongs to a family of salamanders called Plethodontidae.
Contents
About the Shasta Salamander
For a long time, scientists thought there was only one type of Shasta salamander. It was known to live in a small area near Shasta Lake.
New Discoveries
In 2018, a new study changed what we knew about these salamanders. Scientists found that there are actually three different kinds! The original H. shastae is one of them. The other two are new species.
Samwel and Wintu Salamanders
The two new species are the Samwel Shasta salamander (H. samweli) and the Wintu Shasta salamander (H. wintu). The Samwel salamander lives on the north and northwest sides of Shasta Lake. The Wintu salamander lives on the northern shore, near the McCloud River. All three types of Shasta salamanders look very much alike. Scientists tell them apart mainly by where they live and their unique genetics.
Where They Live
The Shasta salamander lives in the Cascade Range mountains. You can find them in areas around Shasta Lake in California. They especially like places where the ground is made of limestone.
Their Home Environment
These salamanders mostly live between Squaw Creek and the Pit River. They also live on the south side of Shasta Lake and near a place called Ingot. Their favorite places to live include cool, temperate forests. They also like freshwater springs, rocky areas, and even caves.
Challenges They Face
The Shasta salamander faces some challenges because of where it lives. The creation of Shasta Lake and the building of the Shasta Dam likely split up their living areas. This means their habitats became separated.
Future Concerns
There have been ideas to make Shasta Lake's water levels higher. If this happens, it could flood even more of the salamanders' homes. This would put them in even more danger. Also, finding out that there are three separate species, each living in a very small area, means they might be more at risk than first thought.
Protection Status
In 2021, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service looked into protecting the Shasta salamander. They decided that the species did not need special protections under the Endangered Species Act at that time.
 | James Van Der Zee |
 | Alma Thomas |
 | Ellis Wilson |
 | Margaret Taylor-Burroughs |
