the present range are believed to have supported 

 red hills salamanders prior to timber harvesting 

 and conversion to pine within the last decade 

 (French 1976). 



RANGE MAP 



The total known distribution is indicated by 

 shading. 



STATES/COUNTIES 



Alabama Butler, Conecuh, Covington, Cren- 

 shaw, Monroe. 



HABITAT 



The species lives in burrows on the slopes of 

 cool, moist ravines shaded by an overstory of 

 mixed hardwood trees. It does not occur in pine 

 forests. 



FOOD AND FORAGING BEHAVIOR 



The salamander feeds at or very near the 

 mouth of its burrow at night, especially for the 

 first hour or two after sunset. Prey items include 

 spiders and small insects that are caught with its 

 sticky tongue. 



SHELTER REQUIREMENTS 



This species requires shaded, moist ravines 

 with ground litter and a friable soil for burrow- 

 ing. Displaced individuals apparently do not make 

 (or find) new burrows, and are thus permanently 

 eliminated from the population (R. Jordan per- 

 sonal communication). Burrows are apparently 

 not started from the surface, but only by sub- 

 surface branching off from other burrows. 



NESTING OR BEDDING 



Nesting requirements are unknown. A cap- 

 tive female laid a clutch of infertile eggs, attached 

 to the underside of a piece of bark (R. Mount per- 

 sonal communication). 



RITUAL REQUIREMENTS 



Not known. 



OTHER CRITICAL ENVIRONMENTAL 

 REQUIREMENTS 



The very specific habitat of this species may 

 be its only environmental requirement. 



POPULATION NUMBERS AND TRENDS 



The species was discovered in 1960. No popu- 

 lation estimates are available. Most of the suitable 

 habitat is owmed by timber companies who have 

 been harvesting, preparing sites, and converting 

 the mixed hardwood forests to pine plantations. 

 French (1976) estimates that at least 6% of its 

 range has been made unsuitable by these practices 

 within the past 10 years. 



REPRODUCTION 



Little is known, but the presence of only a 

 few large ovarian ova in adult females suggests 

 that direct development occurs within the egg, 

 without a free-living larval stage (Brandon 1965). 



MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION 



Within the range of the red hills salamander, 

 most timber companies are now 'marking out' the 

 ravines and steep slopes and harvesting only the 

 largest trees (French 1976). One company has 

 issued a policy statement indicating its intention 

 to protect salamander habitat (R. Mount personal 

 communication) . 



AUTHORITIES 



Thomas W. French 

 Department of Life Sciences 

 Indiana State University 

 Terre Haute, IN 47809 



Ralph Jordan, Jr. 



Tennessee Valley Authority 



Regional Heritage Program 



Division of Forestry 



Fisheries and Wildlife Development 



Norris,TN 37828 



Robert H. Mount 



Department of Zoology-Entomology 



Auburn University 



Auburn, AL 36830 



Terry D. Schwaner 

 Museum of Natural History 

 University of Kansas 

 Lavinrence.KS 66044 



PREPARER'S COMMENTS 



Although much remains to be learned about 

 this salamander, the knowledge required to pre- 

 vent threats to its existence is apparently available. 



