COLORATION:

In life, B. altamazonica is pale to dark brown across its dorsal surface. A darker brown, triangular mark is present between eyes, with the apex pointing towards the tail. The marking extends posteriorly down the mid-dorsal line. The snout, including nasal protuberances, is a light yellow. The iris of B. altamazonica is pale gold, surrounded by an orange-brown ring. The ventral coloration is dark brown with tiny cream spots spread across the belly, throat, and tail. The limbs are a more reddish brown compared to coloration of body (Cusi et al. 2020).

After preservation, the dorsal surface of B. altamazonica is a grayish brown. The triangular marking is still visible, and remains dark brown. The ventral surface is now dark red-brown with gray spots throughout the belly, tail, and throat. The snout and nasal protuberances appear pale white to cream. The digits are still visible and rounded, and hands and feet are both pale gray. Only present in male salamanders, the mental gland appears gray after preservation (Cusi et al. 2020).

VARIATION:

Distribution and Habitat

Country distribution from AmphibiaWeb's database: Brazil, Colombia, Peru

	View distribution map in BerkeleyMapper.
	View Bd and Bsal data (2 records).

Bolitoglossa altamazonica is found in the Amazonian Basin for which it is named. Specimens of B. altamazonica have been found between 102 and 132 m above sea level in white sand and terra firme forests. Within the Loreto Department, Peru, B. altamazonica has been located in Nauta, Sucusari River, Allpahuayo Mishana National Reserve, Lago Avispas, and Jenaro Herrera (Cusi et al. 2020).

Life History, Abundance, Activity, and Special Behaviors
Bolitoglossa altamazonica is known to climb, and is commonly spotted on leaves and branches of palm trees (Cusi et al. 2020).

Larva
As a plethodontid salamander, B. altamazonica is assumed to be direct developing.

Trends and Threats
Prior to the publication of Cusi et al. (2020), B. altamazonica was considered a species of “Least Concern” according to the IUCN Red List due to the assumption of its wide distribution across the Amazonian Basin. Due to ongoing industrial development, the splitting of the species into multiple species, and revision of IUCN Red List criteria, Cusi et al. (2020) recommended this species be labeled “Near Threatened”. Specifically, B. altamazonica occurs in 10 or less threat defined locations, with the largest threats being deforestation, habitat loss, and timber extraction (IUCN 2021).

Possible reasons for amphibian decline

General habitat alteration and loss
Habitat modification from deforestation, or logging related activities
Dams changing river flow and/or covering habitat

Comments
Molecular phylogeny was inferred using two mitochondrial sequences (Cytb, 16S) and two nuclear genes (RAG-1, POMC), which were analyzed using Maximum Likelihood. The results placed B. altamazonica, B. peruviana, and B. awajun in a class within the Bolitoglossa subgenus Eladinea. This clade is divergent from other members of subgenus Eladinea (Cusi et al. 2020)

Many Amazonian Bolitoglossa have been incorrectly assigned to B. altamazonica. The redescription of this species, in addition to the description of B. caldwelldae, B. madeira, and B. tapajonica has provided greater insight to the complexity of this genus (Cusi et al. 2020).

The common name for Bolitoglossa altamazonica, the Nauta Salamander, is an homage to the area in which B. altamazonica was originally found: Nauta, Loreto Department, Peru (Cusi et al. 2020). Some organizations, such as iNaturalist, refer to B. altamazonica as the Amazonian Climbing Salamander due to its propensity to be found on palm leaves. However, this common name also refers to Bolitoglossa palmata.

The three specimens used to describe B. altamazonica by Alexander Cope in 1874 have since been lost. The primary reference for this account, Cusi et al. (2020), designated a neotype and described B. altamazonica using 11 specimens (four male, four female, and three juveniles) collected in the Loreto Department of Peru (Cusi et al. 2020).

References
Batista, A., Köhler, G., Mebert, K., and Vesely, M. (2014). A new species of Bolitoglossa (Amphibia: Plethodontidae) from eastern Panama, with comments on other members of the adspersa species group from eastern Panama. Mesoamerican Herpetology, 1, 97–121. [link]

Brcko, I. C., Hoogmoed, M. S., and Neckel-Oliveira, S. (2013). Taxonomy and distribution of the salamander genus Bolitoglossa Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854 (Amphibia, Caudata, Plethodontidae) in Brazilian Amazonia. Zootaxa, 3686(4), 401-431. [link]

Cope, E. (1874) On some Batrachia and Nematognathi brought from the upper Amazon by Prof. Orton. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, 26, 120–137. [link]

Cusi, J. C., Gagliardi-Urrutia, G., Brcko, I. C., Wake, D. B., and May, R. V. (2020). Taxonomic status of the Neotropical salamanders Bolitoglossa altamazonica and Bolitoglossa peruviana (Amphibia: Caudata: Plethodontidae), with the description of a new species from Northern Peru. Zootaxa, 4834(3), 365–406. [link]

IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group. 2023. Bolitoglossa altamazonica. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2023: e.T81660396A3076443. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2023-1.RLTS.T81660396A3076443.en. Accessed on 10 February 2025.

Species Account Citation: AmphibiaWeb 2025 Bolitoglossa altamazonica: Nauta Mushroom-tongue Salamander <https://amphibiaweb.org/species/3951> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed Mar 16, 2025.

Citation: AmphibiaWeb. 2025. <https://amphibiaweb.org> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed 16 Mar 2025.

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