Description
Chiropterotriton perotensis is a relatively small yet stout species of salamander. For adult males, snout-vent length ranges from 26.5 - 32.7 mm, and for females it ranges from 27.5 - 34.3 mm. Total length for males ranges from 27.42 - 33.86 mm and for females ranges from 28.29- 35.41 mm. Their head is fairly wide with a relatively short snout, and they have eyes that do not stick out past their jaw when viewed from below. Chiropterotriton perotensis has short limbs that are widely separated. Webbing between fingers is either slightly or completely absent. When webbing is present the first finger is typically encompassed in the webbing with only a free fingertip. The fifth digit is notably reduced. This species does have subterminal pads, but they are not very prominent. Their tail is moderately sized (Parra Olea et al. 2020).

DIAGNOSIS:

Chiropterotriton perotensis has smaller eyes than other species in the genus. Its manus and pes are also less prominent compared to other species of the genus such as C. aureus, C. casasi, C. ceronorum, C. chiropterus, C. lavae, C. melipona, C. nubilus, C. orculus, and C. totonacus . The outermost digit in the metatarsal region also protrudes less than in other species of Chiropterotriton. Its tail is shorter than those of C. aureus and C. totonacus (Parra Olea et al. 2020). Lastly, in most other species of Chiropterotriton, males tend to be smaller than females on average; the opposite is true for C. perotensis, with males tending to be larger than females (Campbell et al. 2014).

COLORATION:

In life, C. perotensis is generally dark in coloration with a reddish-brown dorsal stripe. The dorsal stripe can also be brownish gray in color. The underside of this species is dark. The iris is golden to dark brown (Parra Olea et al. 2020).

In preservative, C. perotensis is uniformly dark brown with a paler underside. The tail is slightly darker blackish with a dark brown underside (Parra Olea et al. 2020).

VARIATION:

Individuals of this species vary in coloration and patterning. Other specimens are dark with fine white speckles and dark brown mottling. Additionally, the limbs can be dark brown, the underside dark, and the iris brownish black (Parra Olea et al. 2020).

Distribution and Habitat

Country distribution from AmphibiaWeb's database: Mexico

View distribution map in BerkeleyMapper.

This species is found in Mexico along the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. More specifically, they are found in the pine and fir forests near the Cofre de Perote volcano in Veracruz. Its elevational range is from 2,950 - 4,015 m (Parra Olea et al. 2020).

Life History, Abundance, Activity, and Special Behaviors
This species can typically be found under objects on the ground in its natural habitat. Chiropterotriton perotensis is also active on road banks and boulders at night (Parra Olea et al. 2020).

Other species found in sympatry with this species include Aquiloeurycea cephalica, Isthmura naucampatepetl, Pseudoeurycea leprosa and P. melanomolga (Parra Olea et al. 2020).

Trends and Threats
It is recommended that this species be listed as “Endangered”, particularly because it lives in a small, severely fragmented range (less than 5,000 km²) where its habitat continues to decline in quality and quantity (Parra Olea et al. 2020).

Possible reasons for amphibian decline

General habitat alteration and loss
Habitat modification from deforestation, or logging related activities
Habitat fragmentation

Comments

PHYLOGENETIC RELATIONSHIPS:

ETYMOLOGY:

The species epithet, “perotensis”, refers to the Cofre de Perote volcano where the species can be found (Parra Olea et al. 2020).

References

Campbell, J. A., Streicher, J. W., Cox, C. L., Brodie, E. D. (2014). “A new Salamander of the genus Chiropterotriton (Caudata: Plethodontidae) from the Sierra Madre Oriental of Tamaulipas, Mexico.” South American Journal of Herpetology, 9(3), 228-234. [link]

Parra Olea, G., Garcia-Castillo, M. G., Rovito, S. M., Maisano, J. A., Hanken, J., Wake, D. B. (2020). “Descriptions of five new species of the salamander genus Chiropterotriton (Caudata: Plethodontidae) from eastern Mexico and the status of three currently recognized taxa.” PeerJ, 8:e8800 [link]

Species Account Citation: AmphibiaWeb 2021 Chiropterotriton perotensis: Valle Alegre Salamander <https://amphibiaweb.org/species/9194> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed Apr 15, 2024.

Citation: AmphibiaWeb. 2024. <https://amphibiaweb.org> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed 15 Apr 2024.

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