CR

Saslaya Moss Salamander

Nototriton saslaya

Declining

Overview

Nototriton saslaya is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae. It is endemic to Nicaragua and known only from Cerro Sasalya and Cerro El Torro, both in the Saslaya National Park, north-central Nicaragua. Common name Saslaya moss salamander has been proposed for it.

Nototriton saslaya faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to agricultural expansion and logging activities in its montane cloud forest habitat. The species' extremely restricted range makes it particularly vulnerable to localized environmental changes and human disturbance. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering the moisture regimes essential for cloud forest ecosystems that this salamander depends upon.

Threat summary

Habitat

This salamander inhabits montane cloud forests at elevations between 1,200-1,800 meters in the mountains of northern Nicaragua. It requires the consistently moist microhabitats found under logs, rocks, and leaf litter in these fog-shrouded forests.

Forest· majorForest - Subtropical/tropical moist montane· major

Conservation measures underway

Site/area protectionSpecies recovery

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Saslaya Moss Salamander classified as Critically Endangered?
Saslaya Moss Salamander 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. Nototriton saslaya faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to agricultural expansion and logging activities in its montane cloud forest habitat. The species' extremely restricted range makes it particularly vulnerable to localized environmental changes and human disturbance. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering the moisture regimes essential for cloud forest ecosystems that this salamander depends upon.
Where does Saslaya Moss Salamander live?
Saslaya Moss Salamander occurs in Nicaragua. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Saslaya Moss Salamander?
The main threats to Saslaya Moss Salamander are 11.1, 5.3, 9.3.4, and ai-1. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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