The Family Rhyacotritonidae consists of a small group of stream-dwelling salamanders commonly known as torrent salamanders, found along the Pacific Northwest of North America. These salamanders are small, secretive, and adapted to cold, fast-flowing streams, where they hide under rocks and leaf litter. They have robust bodies, short limbs, and a long tail to aid in swimming in turbulent waters. Rhyacotritonids are fully terrestrial as adults but require moist environments, and their diet consists mainly of small invertebrates. Because of their restricted habitat and sensitivity to environmental changes, they are considered ecologically important indicators of freshwater ecosystem health.