About Rhyacotriton olympicus (Gaige, 1917)
The Olympic torrent salamander, scientifically named Rhyacotriton olympicus, is a salamander species belonging to the family Rhyacotritonidae. It is a small salamander that reaches a maximum total length of 10 cm, and inhabits clear, cold mountain streams. Its dorsal coloration ranges from medium to dark brown, and it may have a small number of light spots on its sides and small dark spots on its tail; its belly is bright yellow, and usually has some dark spots. Members of this species typically have short snouts and relatively large eyes. Like other torrent salamanders, adult males have square-edged lobes located behind the cloaca. Olympic torrent salamanders live along the edges of clear, cold mountain streams, and they can often be abundant under gravel at stream edges and in the spray zones of waterfalls. During rainy seasons, they are occasionally found under objects on land away from streams. Their natural habitats include temperate forests, rivers, and freshwater springs. This species is threatened by habitat loss. Potential predators of the Olympic torrent salamander include giant salamanders and garter snakes.
