A New Species of Cryptotriton (Caudata: Plethodontidae) from Eastern Guatemala

A new species of lungless salamander (Plethodontidae) is described from the mountains of eastern Guatemala. The new species is distinguished from all other members of its genus by its yellow ventral coloration. It is geographically closest to its sister taxon, Cryptotriton veraepacis, from which it...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Copeia 2009-06, Vol.2009 (2), p.313-319
Main Authors: Vásquez-Almazán, Carlos R, Rovito, Sean M, Good, David A, Wake, David B
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological taxonomies
Capsules
Colors
Eggs
Field study
Forelimbs
Genetics
Herpetology
New species
Osteology
s
Salamanders
Specimens
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Description
Summary:A new species of lungless salamander (Plethodontidae) is described from the mountains of eastern Guatemala. The new species is distinguished from all other members of its genus by its yellow ventral coloration. It is geographically closest to its sister taxon, Cryptotriton veraepacis, from which it differs in several osteological features as well as nostril size and shape. Molecular analyses with allozyme loci and mitochondrial DNA also support its distinctiveness from C. veraepacis. This miniaturized species inhabits cloud forest habitats and has been found most commonly in bromeliads.
ISSN:0045-8511
2766-1512
1938-5110
2766-1520
DOI:10.1643/CH-08-086