Oedipina tomasi

Oedipina tomasi is a small, lungless salamander in the family Plethodontidae.[2] This critically endangered[1] amphibian has only ever been observed in the Cusuco National Park in Honduras.[3][4] Very few specimens have been observed in the wild.

Oedipina tomasi
Oedipina tomasi in Honduras

Critically Endangered  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Urodela
Family: Plethodontidae
Genus: Oedipina
Species:
O. tomasi
Binomial name
Oedipina tomasi
McCranie, 2006

Etymology

The specific name tomasi honors JR McCranie's assistant Tomas, who was instrumental during the lengthy expedition that led to this species' discovery.[3]

Description

This species description is based on one male holotype and one female paratype, which suggest sexual dimorphism of body size, with males being smaller than females, despite the low sample size. Oedipina tomasi have dark black bodies with small, pale flecks along their backs, and have a snout to vent length of 57.5 millimeters.[3][4]

Habitat and conservation

This salamander has only been observed between 1780 and 1800 meters above sea level, in the wet sand on the banks of the Cusuco River in the Cusuco National Park. Loss of genetic diversity due to low population size and deforestation pose the largest threats to this species.[4]

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References
  1. "Oedipina tomasi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 2017-10-26.
  2. Frost, Darrel R. (2018). "Oedipina tomasi McCranie, 2006". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
  3. McCranie, JR (2006). "New Species of Oedipina (Amphibia: Caudata) from Parque Nacional El Cusuco, Northwestern Honduras". Journal of Herpetology. 40: 291–293. doi:10.1670/0022-1511(2006)40[291:NSOOAC]2.0.CO;2. JSTOR 4092996.
  4. Antes, Andrew (17 June 2015). "Species account: Oedipina tomasi". amphibiaweb.org. Retrieved 26 October 2017.


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