Lungless salamander

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Lungless salamander
Temporal range: Miocene–present
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Kaldari Batrachoseps attenuatus 02.jpg
Batrachoseps attenuatus
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Urodela
Suborder: Salamandroidea
Family:Plethodontidae
Gray, 1850
Subgroups

Bolitoglossinae
Hemidactyliinae
Plethodontinae
Palaeoplethodon
Spelerpinae

Contents

DIstribution of Plethodontidae.png
Native distribution of plethodontids (in green)

The Plethodontidae, or lungless salamanders, are a family of salamanders. Most species are native to the Western Hemisphere, from British Columbia to Brazil, although a few species are found in Sardinia, Europe south of the Alps, and South Korea. In terms of number of species, they are by far the largest group of salamanders. [1]

Salamander order of amphibians

Salamanders are a group of amphibians typically characterized by a lizard-like appearance, with slender bodies, blunt snouts, short limbs projecting at right angles to the body, and the presence of a tail in both larvae and adults. All present-day salamander families are grouped together under the order Urodela. Salamander diversity is most abundant in the Northern Hemisphere and most species are found in the Holarctic ecozone, with some species present in the Neotropical zone.

Sardinia Island in the Mediterranean and region of Italy

Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of the Italian Peninsula and to the immediate south of the French island of Corsica.

South Korea Republic in East Asia

South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and lying to the east of the Asian mainland. The name Korea is derived from Goguryeo which was one of the great powers in East Asia during its time, ruling most of the Korean Peninsula, Manchuria, parts of the Russian Far East and Inner Mongolia, under Gwanggaeto the Great. South Korea lies in the north temperate zone and has a predominantly mountainous terrain. It comprises an estimated 51.4 million residents distributed over 100,363 km2 (38,750 sq mi). Its capital and largest city is Seoul, with a population of around 10 million.

Biology

Palaeoplethodon hispaniolae preserved in amber Salamander in amber.jpg
Palaeoplethodon hispaniolae preserved in amber

A number of features distinguish the plethodontids from other salamanders. Most significantly, they lack lungs, conducting respiration through their skin, and the tissues lining their mouths. Another distinctive feature is the presence of a vertical slit between the nostril and upper lip, known as the "nasolabial groove". The groove is lined with glands, and enhances the salamander's chemoreception. [1]

Lung essential respiration organ in many air-breathing animals

The lungs are the primary organs of the respiratory system in humans and many other animals including a few fish and some snails. In mammals and most other vertebrates, two lungs are located near the backbone on either side of the heart. Their function in the respiratory system is to extract oxygen from the atmosphere and transfer it into the bloodstream, and to release carbon dioxide from the bloodstream into the atmosphere, in a process of gas exchange. Respiration is driven by different muscular systems in different species. Mammals, reptiles and birds use their different muscles to support and foster breathing. In early tetrapods, air was driven into the lungs by the pharyngeal muscles via buccal pumping, a mechanism still seen in amphibians. In humans, the main muscle of respiration that drives breathing is the diaphragm. The lungs also provide airflow that makes vocal sounds including human speech possible.

Adult lungless salamanders have four limbs, with four toes on the fore limbs, and usually with five on the hind limbs. Many species lack an aquatic larval stage. In many species, eggs are laid on land, and the young hatch already possessing an adult body form. Many species have a projectile tongue and hyoid apparatus, which they can fire almost a body length at high speed to capture prey.

Measured in individual numbers, they are very successful animals where they occur. In some places, they make up the dominant biomass of vertebrates. [2] An estimated 1.88 billion individuals of the southern redback salamander inhabit just one district of Mark Twain National Forest alone, about 1,400 tons of biomass. [3] Due to their modest size and low metabolism, they are able to feed on prey such as springtails, which are usually too small for other terrestrial vertebrates. This gives them access to a whole ecological niche with minimal competition from other groups.

Mark Twain National Forest

Mark Twain National Forest (MTNF) is a U.S. National Forest located in the southern half of Missouri. MTNF was established on September 11, 1939. It is named for author Mark Twain, a Missouri native. The MTNF covers 3,068,800 acres (12,419 km2) of which 1,506,100 acres (6,095 km2) is public owned, 78,000 acres (320 km2) of which are Wilderness, and National Scenic River area. MTNF spans 29 counties and represents 11% of all forested land in Missouri. MTNF is divided into six distinct ranger districts: Ava-Cassville-Willow Springs, Eleven Point, Houston-Rolla, Cedar Creek, Poplar Bluff, Potosi-Fredericktown, and the Salem. The six ranger districts actually comprise nine overall unique tracts of forests. Its headquarters are in Rolla, Missouri.

Taxonomy

The family Plethodontidae consists of four subfamilies and about 380 species divided among these genera, making up the majority of known salamander species: [4]

In biology, a species ( ) is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. Other ways of defining species include their karyotype, DNA sequence, morphology, behaviour or ecological niche. In addition, paleontologists use the concept of the chronospecies since fossil reproduction cannot be examined. While these definitions may seem adequate, when looked at more closely they represent problematic species concepts. For example, the boundaries between closely related species become unclear with hybridisation, in a species complex of hundreds of similar microspecies, and in a ring species. Also, among organisms that reproduce only asexually, the concept of a reproductive species breaks down, and each clone is potentially a microspecies.

SubfamilyGenus, scientific name, and authorCommon nameSpecies
Bolitoglossinae
Hallowell, 1856
Batrachoseps Bonaparte, 1839Slender salamanders
19
Bolitoglossa Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854Tropical climbing salamanders
117
Bradytriton Wake & Elias, 1983Finca Chiblac salamander
1
Chiropterotriton Taylor, 1944Splay-foot salamanders
12
Cryptotriton García-París & Wake, 2000Hidden salamanders
7
Dendrotriton Wake & Elias, 1983Bromeliad salamanders
6
Nototriton Wake & Elias, 1983Moss salamanders
13
Nyctanolis Elias & Wake, 1983Long-limbed salamanders
1
Oedipina Keferstein, 1868Worm salamanders
25
Parvimolge Taylor, 1944Tropical dwarf salamanders
1
Pseudoeurycea Taylor, 1944False brook salamanders
50
Thorius Cope, 1869Minute salamanders
23
Hemidactyliinae
Hallowell, 1856
Hemidactylium Tschudi, 1838Four-toed salamander
1
Plethodontinae
Gray, 1850
Aneides Baird, 1851Climbing salamanders
6
Atylodes Gistel, 1868Sardinian cave salamander
1
Desmognathus Baird, 1850Dusky salamanders
20
Ensatina Gray, 1850Ensatinas
1
Hydromantes Gistel, 1848Web-toed salamanders
3
Karsenia Min, Yang, Bonett, Vieites, Brandon & Wake, 2005Korean crevice salamanders
1
Phaeognathus Highton, 1961Red Hills salamanders
1
Plethodon Tschudi, 1838Slimy and mountain salamanders
55
Speleomantes Dubois, 1984European cave salamanders
8
Spelerpinae
Cope, 1859
Eurycea Rafinesque, 1822North American brook salamanders
27
Gyrinophilus Cope, 1869Spring salamanders
4
Pseudotriton Tschudi, 1838Mud and red salamanders
3
Stereochilus Cope, 1869Many-lined salamander
1
Urspelerpes [5] Camp, Peterman, Milanovich, Lamb, Maerz & Wake, 2009Patch-nosed salamander
1

Following a major revision in 2006, the genus Haideotriton was found to be a synonym of Eurycea , while the genera Ixalotriton and Lineatriton were made synonyms of Pseudoeurycea . [6]

Pseudoeurycea is a genus of salamander in the family Plethodontidae. The members of this genus are commonly known as the false brook salamanders. They are found in Mexico and Guatemala.

Conservation Status

Conservation Status of Plethodontidae According to IUCN Redlist (2018)
StatusNumber of Species
Least Concern94
Near Threatened39
Vulnerable63
Endangered80
Critically Endangered63
Extinct1
Data Deficient40

Related Research Articles

Sirenidae family of salamanders

Sirenidae, the sirens, are a family of aquatic salamanders. Family members have very small fore limbs and lack hind limbs altogether. In one species, the skeleton in their fore limbs is made of only cartilage. In contrast to most other salamanders, they have external gills bunched together on the neck in both larval and adult states. Sirens are found only in the Southeastern United States and northern Mexico.

The Korean crevice salamander is a species of lungless salamander. It dwells under rocks in limestone forest areas of the Korean peninsula. It was discovered by Stephen J. Karsen, an American science teacher working in Daejeon, South Korea, in 2003, and described in 2005. Although plethodontid salamanders comprise seventy percent of salamander species worldwide, Karsenia koreana is the first member of this taxon known from Asia. Like other plethodontids, it lacks lungs and breathes through its moist skin. It is the only species in the genus Karsenia.

Slender salamander genus of amphibians

Slender salamander is the name often given to Plethodontid (lungless) salamanders of the genus Batrachoseps. They are distinguished from other lungless salamanders by their four toes on each foot. Their mature red blood cells have no nucleus, which is a trait that is only known to occur in mammals and certain species of fish. Their range is from Oregon and California (USA) to northern Baja California (Mexico). Batracho-seps means "frog-lizard". Their main diet consists of small insects, such as springtails, small bark beetles, crickets, young snails, mites, and spiders. Like all salamanders in this family, they use their projectile tongue to grab their prey in a flash. California Slender Salamanders are tolerating of their surroundings as long as key considerations are met.

Eurycea neotenes is a species of entirely aquatic, lungless salamander native to the United States. It is endemic to central Texas, near Helotes, in Bexar County.

Climbing salamander genus of amphibians

Climbing salamanders is the common name for plethodontid (lungless) salamanders of the genus Aneides. As this name suggests, most of these species have prehensile tails and are as mobile up a tree as in a stream. All six species inhabit mountain ecosystems, and all but two are found primarily in the mountains of California.

<i>Bolitoglossa</i> genus of amphibians

Bolitoglossa is a genus of lungless salamanders, also called mushroom-tongued salamanders, tropical climbing salamanders, or web-footed salamanders, in the family Plethodontidae. Their range is between northern Mexico through Central America to Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, northeastern Brazil, and central Bolivia. Neotropical salamanders of the Bolitoglossa make up the largest genus in the order Caudata, consisting of approximately one-fifth of all known species of salamanders. Adult salamanders range anywhere from 45mm to 200mm in length depending on their specific species. They are notorious for their ability to project their tongue at prey items, as indicated from their name. They are also known for their webbed feet, having significantly more webbing than any other species outside their genus with the exception of the cave-dwelling Mexican bolitoglossine Chiropterotriton magnipes. Although webbed feet are a common characteristic of these salamanders, only about half of the species in this genus contain webbed feet.

The northern banana salamander, also known as common dwarf salamander or rufescent salamander, is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae. It is found in the Atlantic slopes of Meso-America from San Luis Potosi, Veracruz, and northern Chiapas in Mexico continuing on to the southern part of Guatemala, Belize, and northern Honduras. However, its range south of Mexico is uncertain because the records may refer to other species.

The graceful splayfoot salamander or graceful flat-footed salamander is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae. It is endemic to the Tamaulipas state in northeastern Mexico. Its type locality is near Gómez Farías, Tamaulipas.

Álvarez del Toro's hidden salamander or Álvarez del Toro's salamander is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae. It is endemic to Mexico where it is known from its type locality near Jitotol as well as a nearby site on the Mexican Plateau in the Chiapas state.

Seepage salamander species of amphibian

The seepage salamander is a small, terrestrial species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae. It is endemic to the United States. They are found in small areas of Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama. Its natural habitats are temperate forests, intermittent rivers, and freshwater springs. It gets its name from the seepages around which it lives. It is very similar in its appearance and life history to the pygmy salamander. These two species differ greatly from the other Desmognathus species. They are the smallest salamanders in the genus, measuring only 3–5 cm (1–2 in) in length. They are also the only two terrestrial, direct-developing Desmognathus species. However, the two species are not often seen to coexist, differing in distribution by elevation; although there are exceptions. The seepage salamander is currently listed as Near Threatened, with its numbers declining in most of states in which it is found. It is threatened by habitat loss, with logging having a major effect.

<i>Desmognathus fuscus</i> species of amphibian

Desmognathus fuscus is a species of amphibian in the family Plethodontidae. The species is commonly called the dusky salamander or northern dusky salamander to distinguish it from populations in the southern United States which form a separate species, the southern dusky salamander. The northern dusky salamander is the most widespread representative of its genus in Canada. It can be found in eastern North America from extreme eastern Canada in New Brunswick south into the panhandle of Florida and west to Louisiana. The size of the species' total population is unknown, but is assumed to easily exceed 100,000. The species' habitat differs somewhat geographically; dusky salamanders in the northern part of the range prefer rocky woodland streams, seepages, and springs, while those in the south favor floodplains, sloughs, and muddy places along upland streams. They are most common where water is running or trickling. They hide under various objects, such as leaves or rocks, either in or near water. Alternatively, they may enter burrows for protection. The dusky salamander lays its eggs close to water under moss or rocks, in logs, or in stream-bank cavities. The larval stage which follows is normally aquatic.

<i>Hydromantes</i> genus of amphibians

Hydromantes, commonly referred to as web-toed salamanders, is a genus of the lungless salamander family, Plethodontidae; they achieve respiration through their skin and the tissues lining their mouth. They are endemic to northern California, USA. Salamanders of this genus are distinguished in having extremely long tongues that they can project to 80% of their body length. Similar species endemic to southern France and Italy are now classified in a distinct genus, Speleomantes.

Ainsworth's salamander is an extinct species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae. It was endemic to the United States and only known from its type series collected in Jasper County, Mississippi in 1964. Later research has cast doubt to its validity; it might be a junior synonym of Plethodon mississippi.

Yonahlossee salamander species of amphibian

The Yonahlossee salamander is a particularly large woodland salamander from the southern Appalachian Mountains in the United States. The species is a member of the family Plethodontidae, which is characterized by being lungless and reproductive direct development. P. yonahlossee was first described in 1917 by E.R Dunn on a collection site on Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina. The common and specific name is of Native American origin, meaning “trail of the bear”. It is derived from Yonahlossee Road northeast of Linville, where the specimen was first described.

Pseudoeurycea lynchi is a species of salamanders in the family Plethodontidae. It is endemic to the central Sierra Madre Oriental in Veracruz and Puebla states, Mexico. Its common name is Veracruz green salamander.

Red salamander species of amphibian

The red salamander is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae endemic to the Eastern United States. Its skin is orange/red with random black spots. Its habitats are temperate forests, small creeks, ponds, forests, temperate shrubland, rivers, intermittent rivers, freshwater, trees springs. Overall this species is common and widespread, but locally it has declined because of habitat loss and it is considered threatened in Indiana. Red salamanders eat insects, earthworms, spiders, small crustaceans, snails and smaller salamanders. The red salamander, as a member of the family Plethodontidae, lacks lungs and respires through its skin.

<i>Speleomantes</i> genus of salamanders in the family Plethodontidae

Speleomantes, the European cave salamanders, is a genus of salamanders in the family Plethodontidae, commonly known as the lungless salamanders. It is one of two genera in the family to inhabit the Old World, with the remaining 250 or so species being found in North, Central and South America. This genus is endemic to Italy and a few nearby areas.

The many-lined salamander is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae. It is monotypic within the genus Stereochilus. It is endemic to the United States.

Urspelerpes brucei, the patch-nosed salamander, is a lungless miniature salamander found in streams of Georgia and South Carolina, United States. The species is the sole member of the genus Urspelerpes within the family Plethodontidae. It marks the first discovery of an endemic amphibian genus from the United States since the Red Hills salamander (Phaeognathus) in 1961.

References

  1. 1 2 Lanza, B., Vanni, S., & Nistri, A. (1998). Cogger, H.G. & Zweifel, R.G., ed. Encyclopedia of Reptiles and Amphibians. San Diego: Academic Press. pp. 74–75. ISBN   0-12-178560-2.
  2. Hairston, N.G., Sr. 1987. Community ecology and salamander guilds. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge.
  3. Salamanders a more abundant food source in forest ecosystems than previously thought
  4. Min, M.S., S. Y. Yang, R. M. Bonett, D. R. Vieites, R. A. Brandon & D. B. Wake. (2005). Discovery of the first Asian plethodontid salamander. Nature (435), 87-90 (5 May 2005)
  5. Camp, C. D.; et al. (2009). "A new genus and species of lungless salamander (family Plethodontidae) from the Appalachian highlands of the south-eastern United States". Journal of Zoology . 279: 1–9. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.2009.00593.x.
  6. Frost et al. 2006. THE AMPHIBIAN TREE OF LIFE (http://digitallibrary.amnh.org/dspace/bitstream/2246/5781/1/B297.pdf)