New County Records and Other Data Since 1996
Plethodon dorsalis complex - Zigzag Salamanders
Since publication of Atlas of Amphibians in Tennessee (Redmond, W. H. and A. F. Scott. 1996. The Center for Field Biology, Austin Peay State University, Clarksville, TN. 94 pp.), several applicable taxonomic and nomenclatural changes and numerous reports of new county records have appeared in the literature. Following are comments, accompanied by cited references, on the taxonomic and nomenclatural changes, plus an updated distribution map and bibliographical information on new county records as they pertain to P. dorsalis:
Taxonomic and Nomenclatural Changes
A major taxonomic revision of the P. dorsalis complex by (Highton 1997) recognized each of the three most divergent groups as full species (one newly described). These included P. dorsalis, P. angusticlavius, and P. ventralis sp. nov. (Southern Zigzag Salamander). Of the three, two (P. dorsalis and P. ventralis) occur in Tennessee, the former across central Tennessee and the latter in eastern Tennessee. Counties in eastern Tennessee listed for P. ventralis in the original description (Highton 1997) included Bledsoe, Blount, Hamblen, Moore, and Washington.
Literature Cited
Highton, R. 1997. Geographic protein variation and speciation in the Plethodon dorsalis complex. Herpetologica 53:345-356.
Updated Distribution Map
(Click on the Map for an Enlarged View)
Literature Containing New County Records
Anderson, Pickett, Roane and Sequatchie counties
Jones, J. R. and M. L. Niemiller, 2011. Zigzag Salamander Complex. Pp. 189-209 In M. L. Niemiller and R. G. Reynolds (eds.), The amphibians of Tennessee. The University of Tennessee Press, Knoxville. 369 pp.
Fentress County
Cobb, V. A. 2000. Geographic distribution. Plethodon ventralis. Herpetol. Rev. 33:218.
Fentress and Scott counties
Campbell, T. S. 2002. New records for amphibians in the Big South Fork region of Tennessee. Herpetol. Rev. 33:230-231.
Hancock and Jefferson counties
Daniels, S. D., S. A. Dykes and R. L. P. Wyatt. 2012. New amphibian and reptile county records for eight counties in East Tennessee, USA. Herpetol. Rev. 43:313-315.
Hickman County
Serb, J. M. and J. E. Petzing. 1998. Geographic distribution. Plethodon dorsalis. Herpetol. Rev. 29:48.
Maury County
Niemiller, M. L., and B. T. Miller. 2006. Geographic distribution. Plethodon dorsalis. Herpetol. Rev. 37:484.
Rhea County
Hedrick, D. 2012. Geographic distribution: Plethodon dorsalis complex. Herpetol. Rev. 43:611-612.
Trousdale County
Glorioso, B.M. and J. Pruett. 2007. New records for amphibians and reptiles from Trousdale County, Tennessee. Herpetol. Rev. 38: 247-248.