Aquiloeurycea quetzalanensis
Overview
The Cuetzalan salamander is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae. It is endemic to the Sierra Madre Oriental in Puebla, Mexico. Its specific name refers to its type locality, Cuetzalan del Progreso.
Its natural habitat is cloud forest, but it also occurs in coffee groves. It has been found in a range of micro-habitats, such as under moss in rock walls, under stones, inside and under rotten logs, and in leaf axils. It might be threatened by habitat loss caused by human settlements and tourist development.
Aquiloeurycea quetzalanensis faces severe habitat destruction from agricultural expansion and logging activities in its restricted montane cloud forest range. The species' extremely limited distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to local environmental changes, with deforestation fragmenting the remaining suitable habitat. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering the moisture regimes essential for cloud forest ecosystems that this salamander depends upon.
Habitat
This salamander is endemic to montane cloud forests in the Sierra Madre Oriental of Mexico, typically found at elevations between 1,800-2,400 meters. It inhabits the humid microenvironments of cloud forest understory, requiring the persistent moisture and stable temperatures characteristic of these threatened ecosystems.
Conservation measures underway
Other threatened species in PLETHODONTIDAE
Threatened in Mexico
Frequently asked questions
Why is Aquiloeurycea quetzalanensis classified as Critically Endangered?
Where does Aquiloeurycea quetzalanensis live?
What are the main threats to Aquiloeurycea quetzalanensis?
Get weekly conservation intelligence
One short digest a week of the most striking species and country data we ship, plus breaking conservation news paired with our database where it matters.
Free, no spam. One-click unsubscribe in every email.