A new genus and species of lungless salamander (family Plethodontidae) from the Appalachian highlands of the south-eastern United States

We describe a striking new species of the lungless salamander family Plethodontidae from the Appalachian foothills of northern Georgia, USA. This miniature species, c. 25-26 mm (adult standard length), is so distinctive genetically and morphologically that we erect a new genus, the first new genus of amphibian described from the US in nearly 50 years. It is unique among plethodontids from eastern North America in displaying sexual colour dimorphism. Although certain miniaturized plethodontids exhibit a reduced number (four) of digits on the pes, this species possesses a full complement of five toes. A plethodontid phylogeny derived from mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences places it in the tribe Spelerpini as the sister taxon to Eurycea. Genetic divergence between the new species and Eurycea for the nuclear gene Rag-1 (4.7%) is among the higher levels observed between long-established spelerpine genera (2.6-5.3%). This new form appears to be rare and is of immediate conservation concern.