Pleurodeles

Spanish ribbed newt ( Pleurodeles waltl )

The ribs Newts ( Pleurodeles ) are a species-poor genus of Caudata, which is found in the Iberian peninsula, in north-west Africa (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia).

Features

The up to 31 -centimeter-long animals are the Asian crocodile newts ( Tylototriton ) kinship pretty close. This is reflected both in mating behavior as well as anatomical and morphological features such as exposed warts rows (ribs glands ) along the back pages. These include rib tips, which can sometimes even pierce the body skin in two genera.

The forelimbs have four, the rear five fingers that are webbed. The tail is compressed laterally, but lower than the body. The Flossensaum is narrow. The tail length exceeds the body length in older specimens.

Taxonomy

The genus was described in 1830 by Karl Michahelles in his article New South European amphibians in the journal Isis by Oken. Type species is the Spanish ribbed newt ( Pleurodeles waltl ). This species was named by Michahelles by Dr. Waltl, who brought some specimens from southern Spain, where they were often found in wells to Munich.

Species

• Pleurodeles nebulosus ( Guichenot, 1850)
• Pleurodeles poireti ( Gervais, 1835) - Poiretscher ribs pig
• Pleurodeles waltl Michahelles, 1830 - Spanish ribbed newt