Adult males have yellow throat patches. Van Dyke salamanders are restricted to Washington. They occur in the Olympic Mountains, Willapa Hills, and Cascade Mountains of southern Washington. These salamanders usually live under rocks along stream banks, but also spend some time in large fallen, decaying logs.
Populations occur in patches at low to mid elevations.
Cool Biology Facts. The color pattern variation in Van Dyke salamanders may be related to elevation and associated features, such as local climate. These salamanders occur in apparently isolated populations. They appear to lay eggs inside large, fallen decaying logs, and therefore may be restricted to older forests that have such fallen logs. Disturbance of these habitats by clear-cutting or removal of fallen dead wood can cause local extinction of populations.