{{Short description|Species of amphibian}} {{Speciesbox |image=Plethodon sherando1.jpg |status=VU |status_system=IUCN3.1 |status_ref=<ref name="iucn status 17 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=Richard Highton; Joseph Collins |date=2006 |title=''Plethodon sherando'' |volume=2006 |article-number=e.T61905A12569864 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2006.RLTS.T61905A12569864.en |access-date=17 November 2021}}</ref> |genus=Plethodon |species=sherando |authority=Highton, 2004 }}
The '''Big Levels salamander''' ('''''Plethodon sherando''''') is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae. It is endemic to Virginia in the eastern United States.<ref name="iucn status 17 November 2021" /><ref name=high2004/> First described in 2004, it derives its specific name, ''sherando'', from Sherando Lake in the George Washington National Forest.<ref name=high2004/> Its common name refers to the Big Levels area of southeastern Augusta County, Virginia, a series of flat to gently rolling mountain tops in the Blue Ridge Mountains, where it was found.<ref name=high2004/><ref name=swartz1999/>
It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List due to its limited distribution. Little is known about its conservation status or threats, but it may be threatened by logging-related ecosystem degradation.<ref name="iucn status 17 November 2021" />
==Description== The Big Levels salamander is a small salamander of the genus ''Plethodon'' within the ''Plethodon cinereus'' group (the red-backed salamander and closely related species). Physically, it is most similar to ''P. cinereus'' and ''P. serratus'', which have gray and white (sometimes yellow) coloring on the underside of the body. ''Plethodon sherando'' has a greater amount of white pigmentation than gray. The back is red and gray, sometimes with stripes or spots. The legs are longer and the head slightly wider in ''P. sherando'' compared to ''P. cinereus''.<ref name=high2004/>
The holotype is an adult male which measured {{cvt|95|mm}} in total length and {{cvt|42|mm}} from snout to vent.<ref name=high2004/>
==Habitat== Its habitats include temperate forests and rocky areas. At the edge of its range, it was found to co-occur with ''Plethodon cinereus'' at lower elevations, but was the only species of small ''Plethodon'' at higher elevations.<ref name=high2004/><ref name="iucn status 17 November 2021" /> In a study published in 2016, ''P. sherando'' and ''P. cinereus'' occupied significantly different microhabitats, with ''P. sherando'' in habitats with warmer air temperature but cooler substrate temperatures and ''P. cinereus'' in habitats with higher relative humidity and cooler air temperatures.<ref name=farallo2016/>
==References== {{Reflist|refs= <ref name=farallo2016>{{cite journal |last1=Farallo |first1=Vincent R. |last2=Miles |first2=Donald B. |title=The Importance of Microhabitat: A Comparison of Two Microendemic Species of ''Plethodon'' to the Widespread ''Plethodon cinereus'' |journal=Copeia |date=March 2016 |volume=104 |issue=1 |pages=67–77 |doi=10.1643/CE-14-219|s2cid=88080527 }}</ref> <ref name=high2004>Highton, Richard. 2004. [https://www.vmnh.net/content/file/research_and_collections/jeffersoniana_number_14.pdf A New Species of Woodland Salamander of the ''Plethodon cinereus'' Group from the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia]. Jeffersoniana: 1-22.</ref>
<ref name=swartz1999>Swartz, R. E. and D. M. Kocka. 1999. [https://virginianaturalhistorysociety.com/banisteria/pdf-files/ban13/Ban_13%20Swartz_Kocka.pdf Wildlife Management Activities in Big Levels, Augusta County, Virginia: An Overview]. Banisteria No. 13. Virginia Natural History Society.</ref> }}
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Category:Plethodon Category:Amphibians described in 2004 Category:Amphibians of the United States Category:Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Category:Endemic fauna of Virginia