Pacific giant salamander


The Pacific giant salamanders are members of the genus Dicamptodon and are large salamanders endemic to the Pacific Northwest in North America.

Description

Individuals may grow up to long.
While most salamanders are silent, the Pacific giant salamander is one of several salamanders that have vocal abilities. When startled, these salamanders may respond with a croaky-sounding cry similar to that of a barking dog.
Members of this genus can either be terrestrial or aquatic as adults.

Taxonomy

The genus Dicamptodon was formerly thought to contain two species, Cope's giant salamander on the Olympic Peninsula, Washington, and the Pacific giant salamander which consisted of three geographic populations, an Idaho isolate, a group in northern California, and a group in Oregon and Washington. In 1989, genetic studies showed D. copei to be a distinct species, and the D. ensatus populations to consist of three species: the Idaho giant salamander in Idaho, and two highly divergent species with a narrow hybrid zone in California, the coastal giant salamander , and the California giant salamander . The earliest known member of this genus and family is D. antiquus from the Paleocene of Alberta.

Extant species