Bolitoglossa orestes
| Bolitoglossa orestes | |
|---|---|
|  Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia | 
| Phylum: | Chordata | 
| Class: | Amphibia | 
| Order: | Urodela | 
| Family: | Plethodontidae | 
| Genus: | Bolitoglossa | 
| Species: | B. orestes | 
| Binomial name | |
|  Bolitoglossa  orestes Brame & Wake, 1962  | |
| Synonyms | |
| 
 Bolitoglossa spongai Barrio & Fuentes, 1999  | |
Bolitoglossa orestes (common name: Culata mushroomtongue salamander; Spanish: salamandra meridena) is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae. It is endemic to the Mérida state of Venezuela.[2]
Habitat and conservation
This uncommon species is only found in cloud forests at the elevations of 2,000–3,500 m (6,600–11,500 ft) asl.[1][2] Some populations might be threatened by habitat loss, but many populations are within protected areas.[1]
Description
Adult Bolitoglossa orestes measure 34–46 mm (1.3–1.8 in) in snout–vent length. Males and females are alike. Their skin is smooth and brown-orange to pale brown or yellowish in colour in the dorsum but darker in the flanks. The tail is about as long as the snout–vent length.[3] Breeding is by direct development.[1]
Taxonomy
Bolitoglossa spongai (common name: Sponga salamander), described in 1999,[4] is since 2012 considered a synonym of Bolitoglossa orestes.[2] In 2004 it was assessed as "Endangered" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.[5]
References
- 1 2 3 4 La Marca, E. & García-Pérez, J.E. (2004). "Bolitoglossa orestes". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 16 March 2014.
 - 1 2 3 Frost, Darrel R. (2014). "Bolitoglossa orestes Brame and Wake, 1962". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 16 March 2014.
 - ↑ Barrio-Amorós, C. L., and O. Fuentes-Ramos (2004). "Bolitoglossa spongai Barrio-Amorós and Fuentes-Ramos". Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles 781: 1–2.
 - ↑ Barrio-Amorós, C. L., and O. Fuentes-Ramos (1999). "Bolitoglossa spongai una nueva especie de salamandra (Caudata: Plethodontidae) de los Andes Venezolanos, con comentarios sobre el genero en Venezuela" (PDF). Acta Biologica Venezuelica 19 (4): 9–19.
 - ↑ La Marca, E. & García-Pérez, J.E. (2004). "Bolitoglossa spongai". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 16 March 2014.
 
