Aquatic Salamander
Pseudoeurycea aquatica
Overview
Pseudoeurycea aquatica, which has been given the common name of aquatic salamander is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae. It is endemic to Mexico and only known from its type locality in the Sierra Madre de Oaxaca near Totontepec Villa de Morelos, Oaxaca.
The aquatic salamander faces severe pressure from the degradation and loss of the specific springs and streams it depends on, driven primarily by water extraction for agricultural and domestic use. Pollution from runoff and sedimentation further reduces water quality in its already narrow range. Because the species is restricted to a small number of aquatic sites, localized disturbances have disproportionate effects on its total population, compounding its Critically Endangered status.
Habitat
This species inhabits cool, humid cloud forests of central Mexico, specifically requiring pristine montane streams, seepages, and adjacent moss-covered rocky areas at elevations between 2,400-3,100 meters. The salamanders depend on consistently moist microhabitats within oak-pine forest fragments where fog and cloud cover maintain the high humidity levels essential for their cutaneous respiration.
Conservation measures underway
Other threatened species in PLETHODONTIDAE
Threatened in Mexico
Frequently asked questions
Why is Aquatic Salamander classified as Critically Endangered?
Where does Aquatic Salamander live?
What are the main threats to Aquatic Salamander?
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