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| Color variability observed in living specimen of Bolitoglossa pandi. in Angarita-Sierra, Bonilla-Gómez, Sánchez, et al., 2020. DOI: 10.7717/peerj.9901 Pictures by: Teddy Angarita-Sierra. |
Abstract
Background: Pandi’s mushroom-tongue salamander (Bolitoglossa pandi) is one of the threatened amphibians in South America, as well as a flagship species for the Colombian conservation agenda. This species is endemic to the Andean cloud forests of the western slope of the Cordillera Oriental of Colombia, occurring only in the department of Cundinamarca within a narrow elevational range. At night, B. pandi can be seen perching on the upper side of leaves at heights ranging from ground level to 2.5 m. During the day, it can be found under leaf litter or cover objects. Few studies have provided relevant information that can help the Colombian government to formulate lines of action for the conservation of this species; consequently, its threat assessments so far have been based on very limited information.
Methods: We conducted surveys for salamanders in four municipalities of Cundinamarca, Colombia, using two approaches: visual encounter surveys (Guaduas and Villeta) and the basic sampling protocol for single-species occupancy modeling (Supatá and Venecia). Multivariate analyses were employed to explore the correlation between habitat structure and natural history traits, abundance, and detection/non-detection of B. pandi. We evaluated the B. pandi activity pattern through kernel density curves for each sampling occasion and explored the variability of salamander abundance during their activity period by performing a nested ANOVA.
Results: We report the discovery of two new populations of B. pandi, which represent the most northwestern records known. A significant correlation between body length, body mass, and habitat structure was observed. Multivariate analyses indicated that leaf litter depth, mean temperature, percent vegetation cover, and altitude were the habitat variables that together explained 60.3% of the B. pandi abundance variability, as well as the main determinants of its optimal habitat. Bolitoglossa pandi exhibits an activity pattern characterized by two main activity peaks, in which niche time-partitioning was observed. Across the surveyed area, we found a healthy, stable, highly dense population of B. pandi (>1,300 individuals), with seasonal variability between development stages.
Discussion: Given the high habitat specificity of B. pandi, the species is highly vulnerable to local changes. Thus, we recommend that B. pandi be retained as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List, based on the IUCN Criterion B, given its restricted extent of occurrence (ca. 2,500 km2) and the ongoing threats from agriculture, cattle ranching, logging, and urban development, which continue to reduce its suitable habitat.
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| Figure 7: Color variability observed in living and preserved specimen of Bolitoglossa pandi. (A) ventral surface of the head (ICN 45000; Pandi, Cundinamarca). (B) Lateral view of the edges lip showing the color pattern irregularly dark brown with irregular light spotting (ICN 58501, in life. Supatá, Cundinamarca). (C) Ventral surfaces uniformly dark brown or dark grey with some irregular white circular spots (ICN 45000; Pandi, Cundinamarca. ICN 58502, Supatá, Cundinamarca). (D) Uniform dorsal color pattern. (E) Dorsal color reddish-brown that can have diffuse grey or dark blotches scarcely distinguishable to the dorsolateral. (F–H) Dorsal surfaces exhibiting an ochre pattern, with some diffuse irregular dark brown, yellow or cream spots. (I–J) Dorsolateral surfaces diffuse band in the paravertebral region covering almost the entire dorsal surface or includes a dark brown inverted triangle shape in the interorbital region. Pictures by: Teddy Angarita-Sierra. |
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| Figure 7: Color variability observed in preserved specimen of Bolitoglossa pandi. (A) ventral surface of the head (ICN 45000; Pandi, Cundinamarca). (B) Lateral view of the edges lip showing the color pattern irregularly dark brown with irregular light spotting (ICN 58501, in life. Supatá, Cundinamarca). (C) Ventral surfaces uniformly dark brown or dark grey with some irregular white circular spots (ICN 45000; Pandi, Cundinamarca. ICN 58502, Supatá, Cundinamarca). (D) Uniform dorsal color pattern. Pictures by: Teddy Angarita-Sierra. |
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| Figure 7: Color variability observed in living specimen of Bolitoglossa pandi. (E) Dorsal color reddish-brown that can have diffuse grey or dark blotches scarcely distinguishable to the dorsolateral. (F–H) Dorsal surfaces exhibiting an ochre pattern, with some diffuse irregular dark brown, yellow or cream spots. (I–J) Dorsolateral surfaces diffuse band in the paravertebral region covering almost the entire dorsal surface or includes a dark brown inverted triangle shape in the interorbital region. Pictures by: Teddy Angarita-Sierra. |
Teddy Angarita-Sierra, M. Argenis Bonilla-Gómez, David A. Sánchez, Andres R. Acosta-Galvis, Hefzi Medina-Ovalle, Anggi Solano-Moreno, Simon Ulloa-Rengifo, Daniela Guevara-Guevara, Juan J. Torres-Ramirez, Sebastián Curaca-Fierro, Diego M. Cabrera-Amaya, Jhon A. Infante-Betancour, Luisa F. Londoño-Montaño, Diana X. Albarán-Montoya and Lesly R. Peña-Baez. 2020. Distribution, Habitat Suitability, Conservation State and Natural History of Endangered Salamander Bolitoglossa pandi. PeerJ. 8:e9901. DOI: 10.7717/peerj.9901
