CR

Stuart's Moss Salamander

Nototriton stuarti

Declining

Overview

Nototriton stuarti is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae. Being only known from its type locality in the Izabal Department, it is endemic to Guatemala.

Nototriton stuarti faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to agricultural expansion and logging activities in Guatemala's cloud forest regions. The species' extremely limited range makes it particularly vulnerable to localized environmental changes, while climate change poses additional risks by altering the cool, humid conditions essential for this salamander's survival. Pollution from agricultural runoff and pesticide use further degrades the pristine montane habitats this species requires.

Threat summary

Habitat

Nototriton stuarti inhabits cool, humid cloud forests in the montane regions of Guatemala, typically found in moss-covered areas and leaf litter at elevations between 1,500-2,500 meters. This salamander requires the consistently moist microhabitats provided by pristine cloud forest ecosystems with their characteristic fog and high humidity levels.

Forest· majorForest - Subtropical/tropical moist montane· major

Conservation measures underway

Site/area protectionSpecies recovery

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 Stuart's Moss Salamander classified as Critically Endangered?
Stuart's 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 stuarti faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to agricultural expansion and logging activities in Guatemala's cloud forest regions. The species' extremely limited range makes it particularly vulnerable to localized environmental changes, while climate change poses additional risks by altering the cool, humid conditions essential for this salamander's survival. Pollution from agricultural runoff and pesticide use further degrades the pristine montane habitats this species requires.
Where does Stuart's Moss Salamander live?
Stuart's Moss Salamander 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 Stuart's Moss Salamander?
The main threats to Stuart's Moss Salamander are 11.1, 5.1, 5.1.1, and 5.3. 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.