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verification. (September 2019) |
Torrent salamanders | |
---|---|
Rhyacotriton variegatus | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Amphibia |
Order: | Urodela |
Suborder: | Salamandroidea |
Family: |
Rhyacotritonidae Tihen, 1958 |
Genus: |
Rhyacotriton Dunn, 1920 |
Species | |
Rhyacotriton cascadae (blue) | |
The torrent salamanders or Cascade salamanders are a family of salamanders (Rhyacotritonidae) with only one genus, Rhyacotriton. The torrent salamanders have highly reduced lungs and are endemic to the United States in the Pacific Northwest (including northwestern California). [1] [2]
The genus Rhyacotriton includes four species:
Originally the genus Rhyacotriton was placed in the family Ambystomatidae, later in the family Dicamptodontidae, and finally in 1992 it was placed into a family of its own. At the same time the only species Rhyacotriton olympicus was split into four species due to genetic analysis.