CR

Teotepec Salamander

Pseudoeurycea teotepec

Declining

Overview

Pseudoeurycea teotepec, commonly known as the Teotepec salamander, is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae. It is endemic to Mexico and only known from its type locality, southern slope of Cerro Teotepec in Guerrero, at about 3,425 m (11,237 ft) asl.

Pseudoeurycea teotepec faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to agricultural expansion and logging activities in its restricted montane range. The species' extremely limited distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to local environmental changes, with deforestation for coffee cultivation and cattle grazing fragmenting its cloud forest habitat. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering the moisture regimes essential for this salamander's survival in high-elevation environments.

Threat summary

Habitat

This salamander inhabits cloud forests and pine-oak forests at elevations between 2,400-3,000 meters in the Sierra Madre del Sur of Oaxaca, Mexico. It requires moist microhabitats with abundant leaf litter and fallen logs, typically found in areas with persistent fog and high humidity.

Conservation measures underway

Species 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 Mexico

EN

Turbinicarpus horripilus

Declining
CR

Turbinicarpus mandragora

Declining
EN

Opuntia pachyrrhiza

Declining
EN

Arachnothryx tacanensis

Declining

Frequently asked questions

Why is Teotepec Salamander classified as Critically Endangered?
Teotepec 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. Pseudoeurycea teotepec faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to agricultural expansion and logging activities in its restricted montane range. The species' extremely limited distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to local environmental changes, with deforestation for coffee cultivation and cattle grazing fragmenting its cloud forest habitat. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering the moisture regimes essential for this salamander's survival in high-elevation environments.
Where does Teotepec Salamander live?
Teotepec Salamander occurs in Mexico. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Teotepec Salamander?
The main threats to Teotepec Salamander are 2.1, 5.1, 5.1.1, and 5.3. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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