CR

Dendrotriton chujorum

Unknown

Overview

Dendrotriton or bromeliad salamanders is a genus of salamanders in the family Plethodontidae, endemic to South and Central America: from Southwestern Chiapas, Mexico, to Honduras. These are lungless species possessing a slender body, long tail and prominent eyes. They inhabit high-elevation forests with high humidity.

Dendrotriton chujorum faces severe threats from ongoing deforestation and agricultural expansion within its extremely limited range in the cloud forests of Guatemala. The species' restriction to high-elevation montane habitats makes it particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts, as warming temperatures force suitable conditions upslope beyond available habitat. Infrastructure development and human settlement expansion continue to fragment the remaining forest patches essential for this arboreal salamander's survival.

Threat summary

Habitat

This species inhabits cloud forests and montane humid forests at elevations between 1,500-2,500 meters in the highlands of Guatemala. It requires dense canopy cover with high humidity levels and is typically found in epiphytic vegetation and moss-covered trees within these specialized high-altitude ecosystems.

Forest· major

Conservation measures underway

Resource & habitat protectionSpecies recoveryEx-situ conservation

Other threatened species in PLETHODONTIDAE

Honduran Lowland Worm SalamanderVU

Honduran Lowland Worm Salamander

Oedipina quadra

Declining
Kings River Slender SalamanderEN

Kings River Slender Salamander

Batrachoseps regius

Unknown
Conant's Mushroomtongue SalamanderVU

Conant's Mushroomtongue Salamander

Bolitoglossa conanti

Declining
VU

Pygmy Web-footed Salamander

Bolitoglossa pygmaea

Stable

Threatened in Guatemala

EN

Arachnothryx tacanensis

Declining
EN

Baird's Tapir

Tapirus bairdii

Declining
VU

Phrygiopilus acanthophallus

Stable

Frequently asked questions

Why is Dendrotriton chujorum classified as Critically Endangered?
Dendrotriton chujorum is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Dendrotriton chujorum faces severe threats from ongoing deforestation and agricultural expansion within its extremely limited range in the cloud forests of Guatemala. The species' restriction to high-elevation montane habitats makes it particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts, as warming temperatures force suitable conditions upslope beyond available habitat. Infrastructure development and human settlement expansion continue to fragment the remaining forest patches essential for this arboreal salamander's survival.
Where does Dendrotriton chujorum live?
Dendrotriton chujorum occurs in Guatemala. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Dendrotriton chujorum?
The main threats to Dendrotriton chujorum are 11.1, 2.1, 5.1, and 5.1.1. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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.