[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 125 (Thursday, June 29, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 33785-33786]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-16005]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
50 CFR Part 17


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 90-Day Finding for 
a Petition To List the Southern Torrent Salamander

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of 90-day petition finding.

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SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces a 90-day 
finding on a petition to list the southern torrent salamander 
(Rhyacotriton variegatus), under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as 
amended. The Service finds that the petition presented substantial 
information indicating that listing this species may be warranted. The 
Service initiates a status review and will prepare a 12-month finding.

DATES: The finding announced in this document was made on June 7, 1995. 
The Service will consider all comments received by July 31, 1995 in the 
status review and 12-month finding for this species.

ADDRESSES: Questions, comments, or information concerning this petition 
should be submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2800 Cottage 
Way, Room E-1823, Sacramento, California, 95825-1846. The petition, 
petition finding, supporting data, and comments are available for 
public inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the 
above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ann Crisney, staff biologist, at the 
above address or telephone 916-979-2725.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Section 4(b)(3)(A) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as 
amended (Act) (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), requires that the Service make 
a finding on whether a petition to list, delist, or reclassify a 
species presents substantial scientific or commercial information to 
demonstrate that the petitioned action may be warranted. A finding is 
to be based on all information available to the Service at the time the 
finding is made. To the maximum extent practicable, a finding is to be 
made within 90 days of the date the petition was received, and the 
finding is to be published promptly in the Federal Register. If the 
finding is positive, the Service is required to commence a review of 
the status of the species involved if one has not already been 
initiated under the Service's internal candidate assessment process.
    The Service has made a 90-day finding on a petition to list the 
southern torrent salamander (Rhyacotriton variegatus). On May 31, 1994, 
the Service received a letter from Stephan C. Volker, attorney for the 
Environmental Protection Information Center, Northcoast Environmental 
Center, Oregon Natural Resources Council, California Wilderness 
Coalition, Friends of the River, South Fork Mountain Defense Committee, 
Mendocino Environmental Center, Sierra Club, California Sportfishing 
Protection Alliance, Willits Environmental Center, and Ancient Forest 
Defense Fund, to list the southern torrent salamander as a threatened 
species. The letter was dated May 24, 1994, and clearly identified the 
above mentioned parties as co-petitioners of a petition dated May 23, 
1994, authored by John M. Gaffin of the Environmental Protection 
Information Center, Inc. The petition contained the name, signature, 
institutional affiliation, and address of the primary petitioner.
    The southern torrent salamander has been identified as a species 
(Good and Wake 1992) that is distinct from the Olympic salamander 
(Rhyacotriton olympicus), and the original sub-species designation of 
Rhyacotriton olympicus variegatus is no longer applicable. The Service 
is using the species' common name, southern torrent salamander, in 
accord with Good and Wake (1992), and is not using the former sub-
species common name, southern seep salamander, as identified in the 
petition.
    The petitioners requested that the Service list the southern 
torrent salamander as threatened throughout its range. Historically, 
the southern torrent salamander has been described as occurring from 
Tillamook County, Oregon, south along the coast range into northwestern 
California including Del Norte, Humboldt, Siskiyou, Trinity, and 
Mendocino counties. The species resides in headwaters habitat of 
conifer-dominated mature and old-growth forests, and has restrictive 
habitat requirements. It inhabits mossy seeps of headwaters or the 
moss-covered rocky substrate (Corn and Bury 1989) of first and second 
order streams up to 1,200 feet in elevation (Nussbaum et al. 1983). 
They have a low thermal range of 5.8 to 12.0  deg.C (42 to 53  deg.F) 
(Brattstrom 1963, Nussbaum et al. 1983), are highly sensitive to 
desiccation (Ray 1958), and are aquatic obligates. They are probably 
communal nesters (Nussbaum 1969), and produce few eggs per year (8.4 to 
10.0) (Nussbaum et al. 1983). The petitioners assert that these 
characteristics minimize the ability of southern torrent salamander 
populations to recover from radical habitat alterations.
    The petitioners have concerns about localized extinction as a 
result of continued timber harvest, habitat degradation and 
fragmentation, and genetic isolation. Although the species appears to 
be present throughout its historical range, there is evidence of 
localized population suppression and extirpation in the short-term due 
to past 

[[Page 33786]]
forest management activities. The petitioners are concerned that 90 
percent of the total range of the southern torrent salamander has 
undergone rapid and large-scale harvesting of timber or is harvestable, 
and that there is a lack of protection for the species on those lands, 
which may place the viability of the species at risk.
    The Service has reviewed information in Service files, the 
petition, and material referenced in the petition. On the basis of the 
best scientific and commercial information available regarding the 
present and future threats facing the petitioned species, the Service 
finds there is substantial information indicating that the listing of 
the southern torrent salamander may be warranted. This notice initiates 
a status review for the southern torrent salamander. The Service 
solicits any additional data, comments, and suggestions from the 
public, other concerned governmental agencies, the scientific 
community, industry or any other interested party concerning the status 
of this species. Within 1 year from the date the petition was received, 
a finding will be made as to whether listing the southern torrent 
salamander is warranted, as required by section 4(b)(3)(B) of the Act.

Literature Cited

Brattstrom, Baynard H. 1963. A preliminary review of the thermal 
requirements of amphibians. Ecology 44:238-255.
Corn, Paul Stephen and R. Bruce Bury 1989. Logging in western 
Oregon: Responses of headwater habitats and stream amphibians. 
Forest Ecology and Management 29:39-57.
Good, David A. and David B. Wake. 1992. Geographic variation and 
speciation in the torrent salamanders of the genus Rhyacotriton 
(Caudata: Rhyacotritonidae). University of California Press. 
Berkeley. 89 pp.
Nussbaum, R.A. 1969. A nest site of the Olympic salamander, 
Rhyacotriton olympicus (Gaige). Herpetologica 25(4):277-278.
Nussbaum et al. 1983. Amphibians and reptiles of the Pacific 
Northwest. University of Idaho Press. Moscow, Idaho, 332 pp.
Ray, Carlton. 1958. Vital limits and rates of desiccation in 
salamanders. Ecology. 39:75-83.

Author

    This notice was prepared by Alison Willy (Sacramento Field Office) 
(see ADDRESSES section).

Authority

    The authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act (16 
U.S.C. 1531 et seq.)

    Dated: June 7, 1995.
Mollie H. Beattie,
Director, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 95-16005 Filed 6-28-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P