Cope's Giant Salamander

A large, usually aquatic salamander. Most individuals never metamorphose and retain gills throughout life. Only six metamorphosed individuals have been found in the wild (Nussbaum 1976; Loafman and Jones 1996), and description here applies primarily to the larval form. Adults reach 6.5 - 11.4 cm snout to vent length and can be up to 20.5 cm total length (Nussbaum 1983; Leonard et al. 1993). The dorsum is brown with little mottling, often with yellowish tan patches. The venter of young individuals is white and in older individuals it is bluish gray. The morphology is typical of stream-dwelling larval salamanders with short, bushy gills and a low tail fin that extends onto the body, forward of the hind limb insertion. Eyes are lidless (Petranka 1998).For a long time, D. copei was not distinguished from D. ensatus (Nussbaum 1970; 1976; 1983).Recent genetic studies (Dougherty et al. 1983; Good 1989) have supported the recognition of these forms as separate species. The genus Dicamptodon was historically included as a subfamily (Dicamptodontinae) in the family Ambystomatidae, and was placed in a separate family, Dicamptodontidae, based on features of the spinal nerves (Edwards 1976).

Distributed in the Coast Ranges of the Olympic Peninsula, Washington, to just south of the Columbia River in northwestern Oregon. Also found in the Cascade Mountains of northern Oregon and southern Washington (Nussbaum 1983; Petranka 1998). Dicamptodon copei inhabit cold, fast-flowing streams in humid, coniferous forests. Individuals may be found under rocks and woody debris (Petranka 1998).

Mating and courtship have not been described. Dicamptodon copei is likely to be similar to other species of Dicamptodon (Petranka 1998). Eggs are laid throughout the year, but primarily in the winter months. Nests sites are on the undersides of rocks or other cover. Females attend the eggs until hatching, and will aggressively defend against conspecific predators. Clutch size ranges from 25 - 115, average about 50 (Nussbaum et al. 1983).Dicamptodon copei feed on a variety of aquatic invertebrates and also small fish (trout and sculpin), eggs and tadpoles of tailed frogs (Ascaphus), and smaller larval Dicamptodon (Nussbaum et al. 1983). Predators are garter snakes (Thamnophis), water shrews (Sorex palustris), and D. tenebrosus (Nussbaum 1970; Nussbaum et al. 1983; Loafman and Jones 1996). Larvae may emerge from streams on particularly wet nights (Nussbaum et al. 1983)

Logging is a threat to populations of D. copei both through direct destruction of habitat and also through increased siltation of streams (Petranka 1998).

Cope's giant salamander is found in the Puget lowland forests along with several other western North America ecoregions. The Puget lowland forests occupy a north-south topographic depression between the Olympic Peninsula and western slopes of the Cascade Mountains, extending from north of the Canadian border to the lower Columbia River along the Oregon border. The portion of this forest ecoregion within British Columbia includes the Fraser Valley lowlands, the coastal lowlands locally known as the Sunshine Coast and several of the Gulf Islands. This ecoregion is within the Nearctic Realm and classified as part of the Temperate Coniferous Forests biome.

The Puget lowland forests have a Mediterranean-like climate, with warm, dry summers, and mild wet winters. The mean annual temperature is 9°C, the mean summer temperature is 15°C, and the mean winter temperature is 3.5°C. Annual precipitation averages 800 to 900 millimeters (mm) but may be as great as 1530 mm. Only a small percentage of this precipitation falls as snow. However, annual rainfallon the San Juan Islands can be as low as 460 mm, due to rain-shadow effects caused by the Olympic Mountains. This local rain shadow effect results in some of the driest sites encountered in the region. Varied topography on these hilly islands results in a diverse assemblage of plant communities arranged along orographically defiined moisture gradients. Open grasslands with widely scattered trees dominate the exposed southern aspects of the islands, while moister dense forests occur on northern sheltered slopes characterized by Western red cedar (Thuja plicata), Grand fir (Abies grandis), and Sword fern (Polystichum munitum) communities.

There are only a small number of amphibian taxa in the Puget lowland forests, namely: Cope's giant salamander (Dicamptodon copei); Monterey ensatina (Ensatina eschscholtzii); Long-toed salamander (Ambystoma macrodactylum); Western redback salamander (Plethodon vehiculum); Northwestern salamander (Ambystoma gracile); Pacific chorus frog (Pseudacris regilla); Coastal giant salamander (Dicamptodon tenebrosus); Rough-skin newt (Taricha granulosa);the Vulnerable Spotted frog (Rana pretiosa); Tailed frog (Ascopus truei); and Northern red-legged frog (Rana aurora).

Likewise there are a small number of reptilian taxa within the ecoregion: Common garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis); Western terrestrial garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis); Northern alligator lizard (Elgaria coerulea); Western fence lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis); Northwestern garter snake (Thamnophis ordinoides); Sharp-tailed snake (Contia tenuis); Yellow-bellied racer (Coluber constrictor); and Western pond turtle (Clemmys marmorata).

There are numberous mammalian taxa present in the Puget lowland forests. A small sample of these are:Creeping vole (Microtus oregoni), Raccoon (Procyon lotor), Southern sea otter (Enhydra lutris), Mink (Mustela vison), Coyote (Canis latrans), Black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus), Pallid bat (Antrozous pallidus), and Harbour seal (Phoca vitulina).

A rich assortment of bird species present in this ecoregion, including the Near Threatened Spotted owl (Strix occidentalis), Turkey vulture (Cathartes aura), Bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), Blue grouse (Dendragapus obscurus), as well as a gamut of seabirds, numerous shorebirds and waterfowl.

Cope's giant salamander (Dicamptodon copei) is a species of salamander in the family Dicamptodontidae, the Pacific giant salamanders. It is native to Washington and Oregon in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States.