Oedipina berlini Kubicki, 2016
Berlin's Flat-headed Salamander Subgenus: Oedopinola | family: Plethodontidae subfamily: Hemidactyliinae genus: Oedipina |
Species Description: Kubicki B 2016 A new species of salamander (Caudata: Plethodontidae: Oedipina) from the central Caribbean foothills of Costa Rica. Mesoamerican Herpetology 3: 819-840. |
![]() © 2017 Brian Kubicki (1 of 1) |
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Description DIAGNOSIS: Oedipina berlini can be distinguished from other members of its genus found in Costa Rica and Panama by morphology and coloration. More specifically, O. berlini has more maxillary teeth that extend behind the choanae to the anterior edge of the orbit, as well as more vomerine teeth than O. alleni. Oedipina berlini can be distinguished from O. carablanca by the former’s smaller size, paler dorsal coloration, and presence of maxillary teeth. Oedipina berlini has fewer costal folds between adpressed limbs and paler dorsal coloration than O. complex. Oedipina berlini can be distinguished from O. fortunensis by the former having longer hind limbs, fleshy tips on the ends of the third finger and third toe, webbing on the first and second toes, and lack of defined interdigital indentations. Oepidina berlini has paler dorsal coloration, larger and more protruding eyes, and a flatter head than O. maritima. Oepidina berlini has paler dorsal coloration, wider and longer head, larger and more protruding eyes, and a wider intercanthal distance than O. nimaso. Oepidina berlini has a higher number of maxillary teeth than O. savagei (Kubicki 2016). From two more recently described Ecuadorian species, O. villamizariorum and Oepidina ecuatoriana, O. berlini has a flatter head, and larger and more protruding eyes. Additionally from O. villamizariorum, O. berlini is paler and has less densely spotted dorsal coloration (Reyes-Puig et al. 2020). COLORATION: In life, O. berlini has a mottled earthy coloration. Its dorsum is light-to-medium brown and red with accents of light pink and black. It is also dorsally speckled with white and gray flecks, primarily on the head and body but not the tail. There is a light diamond-shaped patch of skin on its head, stretching from the tip of the snout to the anterior base of the head. It has similar light patches of skin on its shoulders and the dorsolateral edges of its trunk. Males have a variable faded pinkish ring encircling the base of the tail. Dorsally, this species’ upper arms and legs are a light tan color, while its lower arms and legs are darker brown and red in coloration. Its arms and legs are peppered with black flecks throughout. The dorsal sides of its hands and feet are black with light-colored flecks. For the upper half of the body, this species’ lateral coloration matches its dorsal coloration. For the lower half of the body, it is black with white and light brown specks. Ventrally, Oedipina berlini is light brown and pinkish with black reticulations and small white spots. The gular patch is distinct and white, and the gular folds are pinkish. Its ventral tail is splotched with light brown and pinkish orange. Its irises are black and surrounded by thin gold reticulations (Kubicki 2016). In preservative, the paratype’s coloration faded significantly over the two years it spent in ethanol (Kubicki 2016). VARIATION: The female paratype has a shorter snout length (0.9 mm, versus the snout lengths of 1.3 - 1.5 mm in the males). The female’s internarial distance is also narrower (1.0 mm, versus the 1.4 - 1.7 mm internarial distance in the males). The males have a pinkish-orange ring encircling the base of the tail, which the female does not. This ring varies in how distinct its coloration is (Kubicki 2016). Distribution and Habitat Country distribution from AmphibiaWeb's database: Costa Rica
Life History, Abundance, Activity, and Special Behaviors Salamanders in the Oedipina genus tend to be specialized for fossorial burrowing (Brame1968). Given O. berlini’s scarce number of observations, its narrow and lengthened body plan, and its tendency to be found beneath leaf litter, this could be the case for this species (Kubicki 2016). This species likely participates in courtship and oviposition in its leaf litter habitat (Kubicki 2016). Larva Trends and Threats Possible reasons for amphibian decline Disease Comments PHYLOGENETIC RELATIONSHIPS: Initial Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian analyses of 16S and cytB mtDNA placed O. berlini as sister to a clade composed of O. complex and O. maritima (Kubicki 2016). However, later Maximum Likelihood analysis on seven mtDNA genes, and including previously undescribed species, placed O. berlini as sister to the clade composed of O. complex, O. villamizariorum, and an undescribed species, with O. maritima being the next most closely related species (Reyes-Puig et al. 2020). In both studies, O. parvipes is the next most closely related clade after these relationships. However, all of the relationships should be considered with caution as Reyes-Puig et al. (2020) note that there is a lack of genetic material for specimens of the genus. Oedipina berlini was also assigned to the genus Oedipina because it has more than 13 costal grooves and placed into the subgenus Oedopinola because it has fewer than 20 costal grooves (Kubicki 2016). ETYMOLOGY: The specific epithet, “berlini”, honors Mr. Erick Berlin, a close friend of the describer of the species, Brian Kubicki. Berlin works on conservation of the central Caribbean region of Costa Rica, particularly the northeastern portion of Volcán Turrialba (Kubicki 2016). References IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group. 2020. Oedipina berlini. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T112686013A112686053. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T112686013A112686053.en. Accessed on 09 May 2022. Kubicki, B. 2016. A new species of salamander (Caudata: Plethodontidae: Oedipina) from the central Caribbean foothills of Costa Rica. Mesoamerican Herpetology 3, 819–840. [link] Reyes-Puig C., Wake D. B., Kotharambath R., Streicher J. W., Koch C., Cisneros-Heredia D. F., Yánex-Muñoz M. H., Ron S. 2020. Two extremely rare new species of fossorial salamanders of the genus Oedipina (Plethodontidae) from northwestern Ecuador. PeerJ 8, e9934 [link] Wake D. B., Hanken J. 1996. Direct development in the lungless salamanders: what are the consequences for developmental biology, evolution and phylogenesis? Int J Dev Biol. 40(4), 859-69. [link] Originally submitted by: Alyssa Perez (2023-07-25) Description by: Alyssa Perez (updated 2023-07-25)
Distribution by: Alyssa Perez (updated 2023-07-25)
Life history by: Alyssa Perez (updated 2023-07-25)
Larva by: Alyssa Perez (updated 2023-07-25)
Trends and threats by: Alyssa Perez (updated 2023-07-25)
Comments by: Alyssa Perez (updated 2023-07-25)
Edited by: Ann T. Chang, Michelle S. Koo (2024-05-20) Species Account Citation: AmphibiaWeb 2024 Oedipina berlini: Berlin's Flat-headed Salamander <https://amphibiaweb.org/species/8566> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed May 23, 2025.
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Citation: AmphibiaWeb. 2025. <https://amphibiaweb.org> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed 23 May 2025. AmphibiaWeb's policy on data use. |