Number of Pages: 2Integrative BiologyGeological Science

Lynch, James F.

Wake, David B.

English

Number of Pages: 2Integrative BiologyEarth and Planetary Science

Texas ScholarWorks

AMPHIBIA: CAUDATA: PLETHODONTIDAE Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles. Lynch, J.F. and D.B. Wake. 1999. Pseudoeutyea longicauclo. Pseudoeurycea longicauda Lynch, Wake, and Yang Pseudoeutycea longicauda Lynch, Wake, and Yang 1983:887. Type locality, "forested slope just South Mex. hwy 15, 23.1 km (by rd) W. Villa Victoria, State of Mexico, Mexico (el- evation 2,850-2,970 m)." Holotype, Museum of Vertebrate Zoology (MVZ) 137880, an adult female, collected 7 July 1976 by M. Feder, J.F. Lynch, and D.B. Wake (examined by authors). CONTENT. No subspecies are recognized. DEFINITION. Compared with other species in the genus, Pseudoeurycea longicauda is medium-sized (mean SVL of adults = 52 mm; maximum = 65 mm), with moderately long limbs (length of hind limb + forelimb1SVL = 0.48 in adults), and a long tail (tail length/SVL = 0.98 in adults). Adults (SVL > 40 mm) have an average of 41 maxillarylpremaxillary teeth and 19 vomerine teeth. Adult females average slightly larger (mean SVL = 53 mm; maximum = 65 mm) than males (mean SVL = 5 1 mm: maximum = 62). Adult males possess a con- spicuous round mental gland. The color pattern is variable. Dorsal coloration ranges from gray-black, through various shades of gray-brown, to almost pink. Most individuals have a ragged mid-dorsal stripe, the color of which may be tan, yellow, orange, or brown. The lateral area is pale- to medium-gray, and is marked by varying amounts of silvery iridophore "frosting." The color of the venter ranges from slate-gray to pale gray, but the chin is invariably lighter than the belly. Small white iridophores are scattered on the chin and, in some specimens, extend onto the chest. DIAGNOSIS. Although Pseudoeutycea longicauda was pre- viously referred to P. robertsi (Duellman 196 1 ), the two species are very different genetically, and differ also in external mor- phology (Lynch et al. 1983). Compared with P. robertsi adults (SVL > 40 mm), adult P. longicauda have a longer tail (TLI SVL = 0.98 versus 0.80). narrower head (head width/SVL = 0.14 versus 0.16), and more maxillarylpremaxillary teeth (41 versus 28). The ventral coloration of P. longicaudn is pale to medium gray, and the chin is invariably paler than the belly; the chin and belly of P. robertsi are a uniform gray-black. The long tail also distinguishes F! longicauda from the widespread and relatively common P. leprosa. Although these species are gen- erally somewhat similar in coloration, P. fongicaudu also has longer limbs, larger hands and feet, and fewer maxillary and vomerine teeth. DESCRIPTIONS. Lynch et al. (1983) present a detailed morphological description of Pseudoeurycea longicauctn, as well as an electrophoretic comparison between this species and seven populations of F! leprosa and one population each of l? altamontana and P. robertsi. ILLUSTRATIONS. Lynch et al. (1983) contains a photo- graph of the preserved holotype. DISTRIBUTION. The known range of Pseudoeurycea longicauda exists as two clusters of localities at high elevations (2,850-3,000 m) in the Cordillera Volcanica of eastern Michoa- 0 200 km uMAP. Distribution of Pseudoeurycea lonxicauda. The circle reore- sents the type locality and anothe; nearby iocality. The dot indicates the only other known locality. I - re 1.  Pseudoeurycea longicauda from the type locality, Photo- graphs by G. Parra-Olea (GP 292-3). cin and adjacent Mtxico (Duellman 1961, Lynch et al. 1983). All known localities are in pine-fir or pine-oak forest. Most of the 64 individuals in the type series were collected beneath the loose bark of large downed pine, fir, and cypress logs, but speci- mens have also been collected beneath logs, wood chips, and other surface debris. No other salamander species were col- lected at the type locality, but Duellman (1961) collected F! bellii and Ambystoma ordinariwn in sympatry with P. longicauda in pine-fir forest just west of the type locality and at Atzimba Na- tional Park, approximately 50 krn northwest of the type local- ity. I I Figure 2. Holotype of Pseudoeuq~cea lon,qicorrdo (MCZ 137880). FOSSIL RECORD. None LITERATURE CITED PERTINENTLITERATURE. Lynchet al. (1983) presented Duellman, W.E. 1961. The amphibians and reptiles of Michoacin, detailed information on external morphology, osteology, and MCxico. Univ. Kansas Publ. Mus. Nat. Hist 15: 1-148. genic variation. Duellman (1961) and Lynch et al, (1983) in- Lynch, J.F., D.B. Wake, and S.Y. Yang. 1983. Genic and morphological cluded habitat descriptions. differentiation in Mexican Pseudoeutyea (Caudata: Plethodontidae), with a description of a new species. Copeia 1983:884894. ETYMOLOGY. The name longicauda combines two Latin words meaning "long" and "tail," in reference to the fact that JAMES F. LYNCH, Smithsonian Environmental Research the tail is essentially equal to SVL. Center, Edgewater, MD 2 1037, USA (deceased) and DAVID B. WAKE, Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of Califor- COMMENT. A combination of morphological differences nia, Berkeley, CA 94720-3 160, USA. separates Pseudoeurycea longicauda from I? altcrmontana, t? Primary editor for this account, Harold A. Dundee robertsi, and f. leprosa, the other medium-sized species of Pse~rdoeurycea that inhabit the Transverse Volcanic ranges of central MCxico. Genetically, I? longicauda is strongly diver- Published 30 August 1999 and Copyright O 1999 by the Soci- ety for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. gent from these three species (Lynch et al. 1983). 

Pseudoeurycea longicauda

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Pseudoeurycea longicauda

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