conditions, they will leave streambeds and move into the forest. They prefer cove forests of more than 85 years of age, with a significant amount of emergent rocks. These rocks are important for soil moisture retention, and are thus vital for the survival of D. ocoee eggs during brooding. As vertebrate predators, D. ocoee are integral to the dynamics of the food webs around their habitat. They can often be found some distance from a water source, usually in the forest at higher elevations. Population densities on wet rock faces are around six adults per meter square. Overall, the population trends for the ocoee salamanders in the Appalachian Mountains have not changed significantly in the last twenty years. Population structure, speciation, and phylogeny Close relatives The ocoee salamander has gone through various classifications in the last century. Originally considered as a single species (D. ochrophaeus), populations of Desmognathus salamanders across the Appalachians are now divided into five distinct species D. abditus, D. carolinensis, D. ochrophaeus, D. ocoee, and D. orestes. These five species do not form a phylogenetic clade and are differently related to one another, but complete reproductive isolation is rarely observed in distantly related Desmognathus, and thus some hybridization between geographically-close lineages occurs. The "gray zone" that contains the potential arguments on species delimitation still exists, but genetic analyses provide enough evidence for the delimitation of these five species. Genetic population structure Before the advancement of genetic and molecular techniques, the classification of plethodontids was limited by geographical and morphological differences between individuals and groups. This was not a very accurate method for taxonomy because the color patterns and phenotypic variations among the family of Plethodontids was conserved and the genetic underpinnings of these morphological traits were not well known. In genetic studies in the past few decades, by the use of biochemical markers, it’s been shown that this conservatism of morphological traits in many of the salamanders of the Plethodontidae family actually sometimes masks complex patterns of genetic differentiation. These genetic studies ultimately allowed for better-defined species delimitation of Desmognathus ocoee. Territoriality and diet The ocoee salamander maintains a small territory when on land, which it defends against other conspecific members. The Ocoee salamanders feed on insects and other small invertebrates. Potential prey species include flies, ants, wasps, beetles, spiders, mites. Studies suggest that larval D. ocoee prefer to feed at low elevation rock faces and high