As in other torrent salamanders, adult males have square-edged lobes behind the cloaca. The olympic torrent salamander occurs in the Olympic Mountains of Washington. During rainy seasons, they are occasionally found on under objects on land away from streams. Cool Biology Facts. All torrent salamanders have a larval stage with tiny external gills, but lose the gills at metamorphosis.
Adults have very reduced lungs and breathe mostly through their skin.
These salamanders live and breed in clear, cold, fast-flowing streams with rock or gravel bottoms. They can be common in appropriate habitats. However, they are extremely sensitive to stream siltation and warming caused by excessive logging and other human activities. Rhyacotriton olympicus , Olympic torrent salamander, unken reflex Photographs by Brad Moon.