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Head, hand, and foot morphology of preserved specimens of Chiropterotriton species from central Veracruz. Ventral view from right hand and foot. A) C. aureus holotype IBH 31042, B) C. nubilus holotype IBH 31048, C) C. lavae MVZ 106436, and D) C. chiropterus MVZ 85590.
Source publication
The lungless salamanders of the tribe Bolitoglossini show notable diversification in the Neotropics, and through the use of molecular tools and/or new discoveries, the total number of species continues to increase. Mexico is home to a great number of bolitoglossines primarily distributed along the eastern, central, and southern mountain ranges wher...
Contexts in source publication
Context 1
... from males and females of C. aureus, C. chiropterus, C. dimidiatus, C. lavae, C. nubilus, and C. orculus. Measurements are given in millimeters (mm), except TL/SLV (proportional value), LI (limb interval), and tooth counts. NOTE: Data taken from García-Castillo et al. 2017. less webbing (just onto the penultimate phalanx) than C. nubilus (Fig. ...
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... narrower head (HW 4.0 in one male, 3.6 in females of C. aureus vs. 5.6 in males, 4.8 in females of C. chiropterus), and smaller feet (FW 2.4 in one male, mean 1.8 in females of C. aureus vs. 3.7 in males, 3.1 in females of C. chiropterus). Chiropterotriton aureus has narrower digits at the tip and smaller feet and hands than C. chiropterus (Fig. ...
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... females of C. aureus vs. 4.9 in males, 4.7 in females of C. lavae), shorter limbs (LI 2.0 in one male, mean 2.3 in females of C. aureus vs. -0.6 in males, 0.6 in females of C. lavae), and smaller feet (FW 2.4 in one male, mean 1.8 in females of C. aureus vs. 3.7 in males, 3.3 in females of C. lavae) with less webbing in C. aureus than in C. lavae (Fig. ...
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... nubilus has longer feet (mean FW 2.3 in females of C. nubilus vs. 1.8 in females of C. aureus) with more rounded digits and slightly more webbing (just above penultimate phalanx) than C. aureus (Fig. ...
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... nubilus vs. mean 0.3 in males of C. chiropterus), shorter head in males (HL 6.6 in one male of C. nubilus vs. mean 8.1 in males of C. chiropter- us), narrower head (HW 4.0 in one male, mean 4.4 in fe- males of C. nubilus vs. 5.6 in males, 4.8 in females of C. chiropterus), jaw muscles less pronounced and eyes less protuberant than C. chiropterus (Fig. 3). Chiropterotriton nubilus has smaller feet (FW 2.6 in one male, mean 2.3 in females of C. nubilus vs. 3.7 in males, 3.1 in females of C. chiropterus), with rounded digits, and fourth finger of hand and fifth toe of foot longer than C. chiropterus. Likewise, C. nubilus has more webbing that covers just above the penultimate phalanx ...
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... 2.6 in one male, mean 2.3 in females of C. nubilus vs. 3.7 in males, 3.1 in females of C. chiropterus), with rounded digits, and fourth finger of hand and fifth toe of foot longer than C. chiropterus. Likewise, C. nubilus has more webbing that covers just above the penultimate phalanx while C. chiropterus has webbing under the penultimate phalanx (Fig. ...
Citations
... The species of the salamander family Plethodontidae are well distributed in Veracruz throughout the Eastern Sierra Madre, trans-Mexican Neovolcanic belt, and Southern Sierra Madre physiographic regions, which converge in Veracruz, and this family of salamanders inhabit tropical forests to pine forests (García-Arizaga and Lugo-Hubp 2003;SEFIPLAN-COPLADEVER 2010;Parra-Olea et al. 2010). Thanks to recent discoveries, new species of plethodontids have been described and currently 43 species are known for the state (García-Castillo et al. 2018;Parra-Olea et al. 2020;García-Bañuelos et al. 2020;Torres-Hernández et al. 2021;Cázares-Hernández et al. 2022). In the Altas Montañas region located in central-west Veracruz, studies have been carried out that measure the diversity of herpetofauna. ...
... In this study, species of the genus Sceloporus (S. torquatus, S. scalaris, S. minor, S. grammicus or S. dugesii) are better represented in environments from 2,200 to 3,000 m asl, which coincides with the highest occurrence of temperate montane environments. The cloud forest regions occupy a small portion of the territory; however, it is well known that a remarkable diversity of amphibian and reptile species and endemism occurs in these sites (García-Castillo et al., 2018). For example, cloud forest habitat is known to possess high species richness and endemism in salamanders of the genera Pseudoeurycea, Cryptotriton, Aquiloeurycea, and Thorius (Ochoa-Ochoa et al., 2017;Rovito et al., 2015). ...
The Sierra Gorda de Querétaro Biosphere Reserve (SGQBR) is one of the largest natural protected areas in Mexico; however, little is known about the richness and diversity of amphibians and reptiles. We present an updated list of species of both groups, the conservation status of these species, as well as an analysis of their diversity with respect to other protected natural areas (NPAs) in central Mexico. The SGQBR contains 132 herpetofauna species (35 amphibians and 97 reptiles). The richest and most diverse families for amphibians were Hylidae (anurans) and Plethodontidae (caudates), and for reptiles Phrynosomatidae (lizards), Colubridae and Dipsadidae (snakes). The values of taxonomic diversity of the SGQBR were similar to those for the regional pool considering others NPAs. However, it did not achieve the highest values compared to the adjacent Los Mármoles National Park or Sierra Gorda de Guanajuato Biosphere Reserve. There was a high complementarity in the species composition between El Chico National Park and SGQBR for both herpetofauna groups. Although a formal list is presented, it is necessary to carry out a greater number of studies focused on analyzing diversity, considering functional attributes of the species and the richness by vegetation types.
... As a result of their adaptive radiation, these salamanders were able to partition a wide variety of available microhabitats within any given locality. In remnants of considerable size and good quality of the habitat, high-alpha diversity and density of these species have still been recorded (Meza-Parral and Pineda 2015), and even new species discoveries continue to be added García-Castillo et al. 2018;García-Bañuelos et al. 2020). For example, in a specific area of Cloud Forest in the center of Veracruz state, one might find terrestrial species (Aquiloeurycea cafetalera, Parvimolge townsendi, Thorius pennatulus), fossorial species (Pseudoeurycea lineola), and arboreal species (Chiropterotriton lavae, C. nubilus; Wake et al. 1992;Sandoval-Comte et al. 2012;García-Castillo et al. 2018). ...
... In remnants of considerable size and good quality of the habitat, high-alpha diversity and density of these species have still been recorded (Meza-Parral and Pineda 2015), and even new species discoveries continue to be added García-Castillo et al. 2018;García-Bañuelos et al. 2020). For example, in a specific area of Cloud Forest in the center of Veracruz state, one might find terrestrial species (Aquiloeurycea cafetalera, Parvimolge townsendi, Thorius pennatulus), fossorial species (Pseudoeurycea lineola), and arboreal species (Chiropterotriton lavae, C. nubilus; Wake et al. 1992;Sandoval-Comte et al. 2012;García-Castillo et al. 2018). Furthermore, there are even examples of sympatric speciation where the each of the two sister species occupy either arboreal or terrestrial microhabitats: for example, Thorius dubitus (arboreal) and Thorius troglodytes (terrestrial) in Veracruz and Ixalotriton niger (terrestrial) and I. parvus (arboreal) in MCFs from Oaxaca. ...
... With 42 species of plethodontid salamanders (listed by Torres-Hernández et al. 2021), the state of Veracruz ranks second in terms of salamander diversity after Oaxaca with 47 species, surpassing Chiapas and Puebla (24 and 23 species, respectively). Despite having been the focus of herpetological research for decades, new species of salamanders continue to be described from Veracruz (García-Castillo et al. 2018;Sandoval-Comte et al. 2017;García-Bañuelos et al. 2020;Parra-Olea et al. 2020). ...
We describe a new species of plethodontid salamander of the genus Pseudoeurycea from the Sierra de Zongolica, Veracruz, Mexico. The new species is distinguished from all other species in the genus by morphological and genetic features and by coloration. Based on a mtDNA phylogeny, the new species belongs to the Pseudoeurycea juarezi group and is most closely related to P. ruficauda from the Sierra Mazateca in northern Oaxaca. The newly described salamander increases the number of species of plethodontid salaman-ders from Veracruz to 43 and those recognized from Mexico to 140.
Resumen: Se describe una nueva especie de salamandra pletodóntida del género Pseudoeurycea de la Sierra de Zongolica en el Estado de Veracruz. La nueva especie se distingue de todas las especies del género por características morfológicas y genéticas y patrón de coloración. Con base en la filogenia de ADN mitocondrial, la nueva especie pertenece al grupo P. juarezi y se encuentra más cercana-mente relacionada con P. ruficauda de la Sierra Mazateca en el norte de Oaxaca. La descripción de esta nueva salamandra, incrementa el número de especies de salamandras pletodóntidas de Veracruz a 43 y 140 reconocidas para México.
... It is likely that early colonization events occurred in the past and many of these lineages diversified in situ Wake, 1987). This is partially supported by the high species richness of certain genera and families of salamanders (e.g., Ixalotriton, Pseudoeurycea, Thorius or Chiropterotriton) or anurans (e.g., Exerodonta, Sarchohyla; Duellman, 2001;Campbell et al., 2018a) and Inciluis, Craugastor, Eleutherodactylus (our database) in amphibians (García-Castillo et al., 2018;Rovito et al., 2012; or lizards (e.g., Abronia, Campbell & Frost, 1993;Gutiérrez-Rodríguez et al., 2021), Anolis, Sceloporus, Lepidophyma (our database) and snakes (e.g., Geophis, Wilson & Townsend, 2007; Thamnophis and Viperids [our database]) in reptiles. ...
The cloud forest shows a great diversity of groups and has been considered as centers of high richness and endemism, throughout Asia, Africa and mainly in the Americas. To determine the specific and phylogenetic richness as well as the association in the composition of species of amphibians and reptiles in this environment in Mexico, using databases we analyzed species richness, taxonomic distinctiveness and phylogenetic species variability and richness of amphibians and reptiles in 13 regions containing cloud forest in Mexico, and the similarity among the regions. The results show high species richness of both groups (231 amphibians and 310 reptiles) respect another environment in Mexico, mainly in the southern of Mexico in Northern Mountains of Oaxaca, Coastal Sierra Madre del Sur and Sierra Madre of Chiapas. Regarding taxonomic distinctiveness in amphibians, the Basins of Ocosingo, High Huasteca of Hidalgo and Central Veracruz regions presented representatives values from regional diversity, while in reptiles these values were from regions Basins of Ocosingo, Central Veracruz and Northern Mountains of Oaxaca. The regions Northern Mountains of Oaxaca, Coastal Sierra Madre del Sur and Sierra Madre of Chiapas showed the highest values of phylogenetic species richness. In amphibians, the regions Upper Balsas Basin and Eastern Sierra Madre showed the highest values of phylogenetic species variability, and in reptiles was for regions Northern Mountains and Central Highlands of Chiapas, Eastern Sierra Madre, High Huasteca of Hidalgo and Central Veracruz. In both groups, the similarity analysis showed a high relationship between the southeastern regions of Mexico than the rest of regions. The analyzed cloud forest regions present different values of species richness and taxonomic distinctiveness, highlighting the regions of southern of Mexico. These results help us to propose areas for conservation of both groups, and so, to conserve the species richness, taxonomy and phylogenetic diversity in this environment, providing key elements for conservation planners.
... Regardless of its name and precise geographical boundaries, the Sierra de Zongolica has received scant attention from herpetologists. Most fieldwork has focused on the herpetofauna of the more northerly Orizaba-Cuautlapan-Cordoba corridor (e.g., Ceron de la Luz et al., 2016;Peralta-Hernández et al., 2020;Vásquez-Cruz et al., 2021), or the forested escarpments even farther north between Pico de Orizaba and Cofre de Perote (e.g., Murrieta-Galindo et al., 2013;García-Castillo et al., 2018;Parra Olea et al., 2020). As might be expected, recent visits to underexplored reaches of the Sierra de Zongolica have yielded two newly discovered squamate reptile species in the genera Lepidophyma (García-Vázquez et al., 2010) and Geophis (Canseco-Márquez et al., 2016). ...
We describe a new arboreal alligator lizard species in the genus Abronia from the Sierra de Zongolica in west-central Veracruz, Mexico. The new species is presently known only from the vicinity of the type locality. It is diagnosable from all congeners by the following combination of characters: one occipital scale, two primary temporal scales contacting the postocular series, moderately protuberant posterolateral head scales, lack of protuberant or spine-like supra- auricular scales, 30–34 transverse dorsal scale rows, dorsal scales on the flanks arranged in slightly oblique longitudinal rows relative to the ventrolateral fold, and lateralmost ventral scale row unexpanded relative to the adjacent medial row. The new species occurs sympatrically with Abronia graminea, but genomic data assign it to the oaxacae group as the sister species of A. oaxacae, a finding that is corroborated by morphological evidence. We briefly discuss the regional biogeography of arboreal Abronia and comment on the Sierra de Zongolica as a complex transitional area of high species richness and conservation importance. ––––––––––––––––––––––Se describe una nueva especie de lagartija arbórea del género Abronia de la Sierra de Zongolica en el centro-oeste de Veracruz, México. Esta nueva especie se conoce actualmente sólo en las cercanías de la localidad tipo. Se puede distinguir de todos sus congéneres por medio de la siguiente combinación de caracteres: una escama occipital, dos escamas temporales primarias en contacto con la serie postocular, escamas posterolaterales de la cabeza moderadamente protuberantes, ausencia de escamas supra-auriculares protuberantes o espinosas, 30–34 hileras transversales de escamas dorsales, escamas dorsales en los flancos dispuestas en hileras longitudinales ligeramente oblicuas con respecto al pliegue ventrolateral, y la hilera de escamas ventral más lateral sin expandir con respecto a la hilera media adyacente. La nueva especie es simpátrica con Abronia graminea, sin embargo, los datos genómicos la asignan al grupo oaxacae como la especie hermana de A. oaxacae, asignación que se corrobora por la evidencia morfológica. Se discute brevemente sobre la biogeografía regional de las especies arborícolas de Abronia y se resalta la Sierra de Zongolica como un área de transición compleja con una alta riqueza de especies e importante para la conservación.
... We experimentally tested this technique, and it appears to be effective detecting even rare and secretive frogs and salamanders across a range of ecosystems. Specifically, our survey method detected the critically endangered mute frog (Sarcohyla siopela), which has not been recorded since the 1990s despite numerous surveys within suitable habitats (Santos- Barrera et al., 2010) and the tiny salamanders Chiropterotriton nubilus, first described in 2018 (García-Castillo et al., 2018), and Chiropterotriton chiropterus, which according to the IUCN has not been observed since the early 1980s despite repeated attempts to find the species (Parra-Olea et al., 2008). Aechmea nudicaulis was the only tank bromeliad that was never used by amphibians during the study, which is probably related to its morphology-it has a single central chamber in the form of a narrow cylinder, whereas the other bromeliad species possess several separate shallow water bodies at each leaf base. ...
Bromeliads are recognized as vital habitats for arboreal amphibians. However, these plants are often not included in traditional amphibian surveys. Furthermore, focused canopy sampling techniques are time-consuming, require specialized equipment and training, and, in the case of bromeliads, sampling is typically destructive. In this study, we developed and tested a new passive sampling technique for amphibians in bromeliads, which can be easily implemented in common amphibian surveys in the Neotropics. Our study was conducted in five different forests along an elevation gradient (0–2,200 m a.s.l.) in the central region of Veracruz, Mexico. In each forest, 15 tank bromeliads were relocated on large trees at 1.5 m above the ground (n = 75) by fastening them onto metal rings attached to the trees. Over a period of one year, these bromeliads were inspected monthly for amphibians. In total, we recorded 34 individuals belonging to eight species, including small and rare species that are normally difficult to find in the field. This technique appears to be effective in detecting frogs and salamanders across a range of ecosystems, especially in the cloud and mangrove forest where they were found more frequently throughout the year. Bromeliad relocation represents an alternative sampling technique for arboreal amphibians, which reduces the number of bromeliads that have to be sacrificed, requires few resources and minimal prior knowledge, and can be implemented effectively in studies that need repeated sampling through time.
... The study of salamander diversity in the state has continuously given new insights regarding salamander diversity and distribution. The implementation of better analytical tools, including molecular analyses, as well as extensive fieldwork in the last 20 years, has led to new species descriptions, rediscoveries, and occurrence data that have conveyed a better understanding of salamander diversity and provided more accurate distributions of the species in the state (Parra-Olea et al., 2010;Sandoval-Comte et al., 2012;García-Castillo et al., 2018;Aguilar-Lopez et al., 2019;Contreras-Calvario et al., 2019). Nevertheless, knowledge about the distribution and overall ecology of some species has remained scarce. ...
... Voucher Rovito et al., 2015a;García-Castillo et al., 2018) and two additional sequences from Aquiloeurycea cephalica and Thorius sp. as outgroups. The alignment for COI included seven sequences from this study and 21 from GenBank (García-Castillo et al., 2018). ...
... Voucher Rovito et al., 2015a;García-Castillo et al., 2018) and two additional sequences from Aquiloeurycea cephalica and Thorius sp. as outgroups. The alignment for COI included seven sequences from this study and 21 from GenBank (García-Castillo et al., 2018). All sequence information is shown in Table 1. ...
... Chiropterotriton sp. I. -Darda, 1994 (population 22); Parra- Raffaëlli, 2007;Raffaëlli, 2013;Rovito & Parra-Olea, 2015;García-Castillo et al., 2017;García-Castillo et al., 2018. Referred specimens: Two hundred thirty-two specimens, all from Mexico. ...
The genus Chiropterotriton is endemic to Mexico with a geographical distribution along the Sierra Madre Oriental, the Trans Mexican Volcanic Belt and the Sierra de Juárez. The recent use of molecular tools has shown that Mexico’s amphibian diversity is highly underestimated, including a large number of cryptic, unnamed species. Chiropterotriton has 18 described species including terrestrial, arboreal and cave-dwelling species. In previous molecular studies, the presence of multiple undescribed species was evident. We present a phylogenetic hypothesis based on mitochondrial data, which includes all described species and six undescribed taxa. Based on the morphological analyses and, when available, combined with molecular data, we describe five new species of the genus; Chiropterotriton casasi sp. nov., C. ceronorum sp. nov., C. melipona sp. nov., C. perotensis sp. nov. and C. totonacus sp. nov. In addition, we redescribe two others: Chiropterotriton chiropterus and C. orculus, and provide a comparable account of one additional sympatric congener. This increases the number of species in the genus to 23, which represent a considerable component of Mexican plethodontid richness.
... We estimated salamander richness in Mexico by overlapping 161 distribution maps [18]. 136 of the distribution maps were obtained from the IUCN Red List [38], and the remaining 25 were expert-based maps ( [39][40][41]. These records were carefully reviewed, and we added a 1-km buffer radius to each record according the registered plethodontids home ranges [42]. ...
The recent decline in populations of European salamanders caused by the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal) has generated worldwide concern, as it is a major threat to amphibians. Evaluation of the areas most suitable for the establishment of Bsal combined with analysis of the distribution of salamander species could be used to generate and implement biosecurity measures and protect biodiversity at sites with high salamander diversity. In this study, we identified the areas most suitable for the establishment of Bsal in Mexico. Mexico has the second-highest salamander species diversity in the world; thus, we identified areas moderately to highly suitable for the establishment of Bsal with high salamander diversity as potential hotspots for surveillance. Central and Southern Mexico were identified as high-risk zones, with 13 hotspots where 30% of Mexican salamander species occur, including range-restricted species and endangered species. We propose that these hotspots should be thoroughly monitored for the presence of Bsal to prevent the spread of the pathogen if it is introduced to the country.
