Re-evaluation of the Wehrle’s salamander (Plethodon wehrlei Fowler and Dunn) species group (Caudata: Plethodontidae) using genomic data, with the description of a new species
Author
Felix, Zachary I.
Author
Wooten, Jessica A.
Author
Pierson, Todd W.
Author
Camp, Carlos D.
text
Zootaxa
2019
2019-05-24
4609
3
429
448
journal article
26673
10.11646/zootaxa.4609.3.2
c2c14377-a720-4287-9345-039a43b01590
1175-5326
3227942
FD86F28B-E6DD-49BF-AA52-7D224FDF3B9D
Plethodon jacksoni
Newman 1954
English name: Blacksburg salamander,
Conant
et al.
1956
Plethodon wehrlei jacksoni
,
Cochran 1961
Plethodon wehrlei
(part),
Highton 1962
Holotype
:
NMNH 134498
Type locality:
Trillium Vale, Montgomery County,
Virginia
Remarks:
This form was originally described by
Newman (1954)
based on morphology. It was later synonymized with
P. wehrlei
by
Highton (1962)
.
Highton
et al
. (2012)
first suggested the genetic distinctiveness of the
P. wehrlei
populations of southwestern
Virginia
from other, purportedly conspecific populations to the north.
Kuchta
et al
. (2018)
demonstrated the distinctiveness of populations of
P. wehrlei
from southwestern
Virginia
and northwestern
North Carolina
(including specimens from near the
type
locality of
P. jacksoni
) from other populations within the
P. wehrlei
group. They also uncovered considerable genetic variation within this group, although they could not resolve relationships among all the included populations. Our results also indicated considerable genetic structure among populations. Our sampling was limited in geographic scope, and we did not have enough specimens for robust genetic or morphometric analyses of variation. Therefore, we recommend that the group not be further split unless and until such analyses can demonstrate the distinction of any potential lineages that might be included. Because specimens from the
type
locality of
P. jacksoni
belong to this group, we recommend the resurrection of the species
P. jacksoni
to represent clades referred to as
jacksoni
, southern
wehrlei
, and, tentatively, “Population 29” as described in
Kuchta
et al.
(2018)
. This includes all the southern populations occupying southwestern
Virginia
and northwestern
North Carolina
exclusive of those referable to
P. dixi
.