New Dwarf Salamander
Found in Costa Rica
Two new pinky-sized
salamander species and
one the size of a
fingernail have been
discovered crawling
around in a remote Costa
Rican forest.
The new species, found
by botanist Alex Munro
of the Natural History
Museum, London, and
colleagues while on
expedition, are among
5,300 plants, insects
and amphibians recorded
during three
explorations of La
Amistad National Park on
the Costa Rica–Panama
border.
La Amistad is the
biggest forest reserve
in Central America, yet
it remains one of the
least explored places in
the continent. These new
discoveries, announced
today, increase the
number of salamander
species in Costa Rica
from 40 to 43, making it
a center of diversity
for these amphibians.
"Finding so many new
species in one area is
exciting, particularly
as this is probably the
only place in the world
you can find these
animals," said Monro,
leader of a project to
explore La Amistad and
record its biodiversity.
"It shows we still have
a lot to learn about the
variety of wildlife in
this region. We have
four more expeditions
planned this year — who
knows what we could find
when we go back?"
Salamanders are
amphibians, not lizards,
with slender bodies and
short legs, the latter
of which they can
regenerate if lost. They
keep their skin moist,
by living near water or
swamps.
Two of the new
salamanders are from the
Bolitoglossa genus and
are nocturnal, coming
out at night to feed.
The first Bolitoglossa
species is 3 inches (8
centimeters) long and
black, with a bold red
stripe down its back and
small yellow markings on
its side.
The second Bolitoglossa
species is 2.3 inches (6
centimeters) long and
deep brown with a pale
cream underside.
The third salamander is
from the Nototriton
(dwarf salamander) genus
and is a mere 1 inch (3
centimeters) in length,
with red-brown coloring
and black markings on
its side.
The specimens will be
studied and named later
by scientists at the
University of Costa
Rica, where they will
form part of the
national collections.
The expeditions are part
of a project funded by
the UK government’s
Darwin Initiative to
provide baseline
information to underpin
the conservation of La
Amistad National Park.
The Natural History
Museum is working in
partnership with Costa
Rica’s national
biodiversity institute,
INBio, the University of
Costa Rica, the
University of Panama and
Panama’s national parks
authority.
La Amistad is a UNESCO
World Heritage Site and
it represents the most
remote part of the
Talamanca Mountains,
mainly due to the
treacherous terrain and
lack of roads. It has
been estimated that two
thirds of all Costa
Rica’s native species
live there, including
more than 250 species of
reptiles and amphibians,
600 species of birds,
215 species of mammals
and 14,000 species of
plant. |
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