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)

Update to Plethodon dorsalis

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.