Amphibians are ectothermic, anamniotic, four-limbed vertebrate animals that constitute the class Amphibia. In its broadest sense, it is a paraphyletic group encompassing all tetrapods excluding the amniotes. All extant (living) amphibians belong to the monophyletic subclass Lissamphibia, with three living orders: Anura, Urodela (salamanders), and Gymnophiona (caecilians). Evolved to be mostly semiaquatic, amphibians have adapted to inhabit a wide variety of habitats, with most species living in freshwater, wetland or terrestrial ecosystems. Their life cycle typically starts out as aquatic larvae with gills known as tadpoles, but some species have developed behavioural adaptations to bypass this.
The Cryptobranchidae are a family of large salamanders that are fully aquatic. The family includes some of the largest living amphibians. They are native to China, Japan, and the eastern United States. Giant salamanders constitute one of two living families—the other being the Asiatic salamanders belonging to the family Hynobiidae—within the Cryptobranchoidea, one of two main divisions of living salamanders.
Oedipina complex, commonly known as the Gamboa worm salamander, is a species of lungless salamander found in western South America from Costa Rica to western Colombia and north-western Ecuador. This species inhabits humid tropical lowland forest where it can be found on the ground, and on bushy vegetation, logs and rocks. It can also be found on forest edges, but it does not survive in degraded areas. Deforestation is a threat to this species.
Oedipus was the mythical king of Thebes.
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.
Bolitoglossa engelhardti is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae. It is found in the extreme south-eastern Chiapas, Mexico, and eastward along the Pacific versant to Volcán Atitlán in south-western Guatemala. It is named for Teodoro Engelhardt, Guatemalan plantation owner who entertained Karl Patterson Schmidt and his expedition. Its common names include Engelhardt's salamander, Engelhardt's mushroomtongue salamander, and Engelhardt's climbing salamander.
Bradytriton is a monotypic genus of salamanders in the family Plethodontidae. it is represented by the species Bradytriton silus, commonly known as the Finca Chiblac salamander, and has been considered the sister taxon of the genus Oedipina. It is found in north-western Guatemala and in Chiapas, south-eastern Mexico.
Cortes salamander is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae. It is found in the Sierra de Omoa in northwestern Honduras and Sierra de Caral in eastern Guatemala, close to the border with Honduras. The vernacular name Cortes salamander refers to the Cortés Department where the type locality is located, whereas the alternative name Cortez' hidden salamander with the spelling "Cortez" and the apostrophe are errors.
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 mountains of California in the United States. 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.
Oedipina alfaroi is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae. It is found in the Caribbean versant of eastern Costa Rica and northwestern Panama. It is commonly known as the Limon worm salamander.
Oedipina alleni is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae. Its common name is Allen's worm salamander. It is found in Costa Rica and Panama.
Oedipina carablanca, commonly known as the Los Diamantes worm salamander, is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae. It is endemic to Costa Rica and is only known from its type locality, Los Diamantes, near Guápiles, Limón Province.
Oedipina cyclocauda, commonly known as the Costa Rica worm salamander, is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae. It is found on the Caribbean slopes of northwestern Panama, eastern Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and northern Honduras. The specific name cyclocauda refers to the circular caudal grooves.
Oedipina maritima, commonly known as the maritime worm salamander, is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae. It is endemic to Isla Escudo de Veraguas, Panama.
Oedipina pacificensis is a species of worm salamander in the family Plethodontidae. It is found on the Pacific slope of southwestern Costa Rica and adjacent Panama. it is morphologically indistinguishable from O. gracilis and O. uniformis, but is genetically clearly distinct.
Oedipina parvipes, commonly known as the Colombian worm salamander, is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae. It is found in western Colombia and north-western Ecuador. Its type locality is Cáceres, Antioquia. It may occur further north to Panama and Costa Rica, but these records require confirmation as the species is morphologically indistinguishable from Costa Rican Oedipina uniformis. Its natural habitat is humid lowland forest, wherein it lives in leaf-litter.
Oedipina taylori, commonly known as Taylor's worm salamander, is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae. It is found on the Pacific versant in south-eastern Guatemala, to central to north-eastern El Salvador and adjacent southern Honduras. Honduran populations might represent another species.
Oedipina uniformis is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae. It is found in mountains and lowlands of central Costa Rica to the Panamian border and likely to occur in Panama.
Oedipina tomasi is a small, lungless salamander in the family Plethodontidae. This critically endangered amphibian has only ever been observed in the Cusuco National Park in Honduras. Very few specimens have been observed in the wild.
Oedipina petiola is a species of salamander endemic to Honduras. It is only known from a single specimen, hasn't been seen since 1995, and is possibly extinct.
