About Plethodon caddoensis Pope & Pope, 1951
The Caddo Mountain salamander (Plethodon caddoensis) is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae. It is endemic to Arkansas in the south-central United States, and is only known from the Caddo Mountains, a subsection of the Ouachita Mountains. This salamander is abundant in and near talus slopes and other rocky habitats, especially on north-facing slopes covered by mature, mesic forests. It can also occur in secondary growth, mixed deciduous forests. When conditions are dry and hot, these salamanders retreat to underground shelters under shaded talus or in abandoned mines. The Caddo Mountain salamander is abundant across its limited geographic range. It can be locally threatened by habitat loss and degradation. Most of its populations are located within Ouachita National Forest, which provides the species with some degree of protection.
