Oedipina poelzi

Oedipina poelzi is a salamander of the family of lung lots Salamander ( Plethodontidae ). It belongs to the genus of tropical salamanders ( Oedipina ) and occurs only in the Central American country Costa Rica. The specific epithet honors poelzi Pölz Friedrich, a German friend of the describer of Arden Howell Brame.

Features

Oedipina poelzi reaches a head-body length of 41 to 64 mm, the total length with tail is 107-181 mm. The dorsal side of the body is brown, the abdomen black. The long, laterally flattened at its base not constricted tail pointing to the black ground color brown spots. At his side are some whitish on the underside of the tail and a few on the dorsal side, many small guanophores. On the ventral side of the body numerous small, larger on the throat guanophores are available. A narrow, cream - to silvery lateral stripe separates the back of the abdominal coloration. The bold black, brown spotted legs are moderately long with narrow feet. The long fingers and toes are largely associated with webbed, only the tips of the middle three toes are free of it. The black, indistinct brown spotted head is very broad with large eyes and a short blunt snout. The iris is black.

On the maxilla ( upper jaw ) are 14 to 34 teeth 42 to 70, on the vomer ( vomer ). Along the side of the body to show 19-20 ribs furrows.

Dissemination

Oedipina poelzi is common in humid montane and premontane zones of the Cordillera de Tilarán, Cordillera Central and Cordillera de Talamanca in Costa Rica at altitudes of 775-2050 m.

Habitat and behavior

This salamander lives in moss and lichen mats and under rocks and logs in the vicinity of rivers. She lives relatively aquatic and is found usually near rivers, although it needs to reproduce any water. Other habitats are road cuts, quarries and secondary landscape, provided they are not too degraded and dried out.

Endangering

The stock is estimated declined over the last 10 years by more than 50%. The reasons for the significant population decline are still unclear. In the area of ​​distribution of Oedipina poelzi Chytridpilze were detected, but it is not certain whether chytridiomycosis is responsible for the population decline. The species is threatened by habitat loss through small-scale activities and animal husbandry, wood collection and human habitation. A part of its habitat could be flooded by the construction of a dam. The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources ( IUCN) classified the species due to the significant decline in inventory, the fragmented distribution range and habitat loss as endangered ( EN, Endangered ).

Protection

The species occurs in the Biological Reserve Monteverde and the Braulio Carrillo National Park, to the conservation of the species inventory monitoring is advised.