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| Pseudoeurycea jaguar Cázares-Hernández, Jimeno-Sevilla, Rovito, López-Luna & Canseco-Márquez, 2022 DOI: 10.3897/vz.72.e87275 |
Abstract
We describe a new species of plethodontid salamander of the genus Pseudoeurycea from the Sierra de Zongolica, Veracruz, Mexico. The new species is distinguished from all other species in the genus by morphological and genetic features and by coloration. Based on a mtDNA phylogeny, the new species belongs to the Pseudoeurycea juarezi group and is most closely related to P. ruficauda from the Sierra Mazateca in northern Oaxaca. The newly described salamander increases the number of species of plethodontid salamanders from Veracruz to 43 and those recognized from Mexico to 140.
Keywords: Bolitoglossini, juarezi group, phylogeny, Pseudoeurycea jaguar sp. nov., salamander
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| Live specimens of all members of the P. juarezi group. A P. aurantia (Peña Verde, Oaxaca), Photo by Sean Rovito; B P. saltator (Sierra de Juárez, Oaxaca), Photo by Sean Rovito; C, D P. juarezi (Cerro Pelón, Sierra de Juárez, Oaxaca), Photos by Sean Rovito and Luis Canseco, respectively; E P. ruficauda (near Plan de Guadalupe, Oaxaca), Photo by Sean Rovito; F Holotype of P. jaguar sp. nov. from the type locality, Photo by Erasmo Cázares. |
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| Color pattern of Pseudoeurycea jaguar sp. nov. Adults: A Male holotype (MZFC-HE 28694); B, C, D Female paratypes (MZFC-HE 35856-57, 28685, respectively; and released male (E) and female (F). Juveniles (all released). G A specimen < 22 mm SVL; H a specimen measuring 30 mm SVL; I, J specimens measuring 33 mm SVL. Photos by Erasmo Cázares. |
Pseudoeurycea jaguar sp. nov.
Pseudoeurycea sp. – Cázares-Hernández et al. 2021.
Suggested English name: Jaguar Salamander.
Suggested Spanish name: Tlaconete jaguar.
Diagnosis:
Assigned to the genus Pseudoeurycea based on the presence of a sublingual fold, comparatively short fifth toe compared to the fourth, limited foot webbing, relatively large size, and mitochondrial DNA sequences.
Morphologically, we distinguish the new species from the other salamanders that occur in the region and from the others of the genus Pseudoeurycea based on size of the body and tail, limb length, digit shape, shape and size of the head, and especially by external coloration (dorsal and ventral coloration of head, body and tail). Pseudoeurycea jaguar is easily distinguished from the other species of the genus Pseudoeurycea by its unique color pattern (Figs 1, 4).
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Etymology: The specific epithet jaguar is a noun in apposition and refers to the similarity between the dorsal color pattern of the salamander and that of the jaguar (Panthera onca). In the last three years the presence of this endangered feline has been recorded in some places in the Sierra de Zongolica and it seems appropriate to honor this emblematic species in the region.
Erasmo Cázares-Hernández, H. David Jimeno-Sevilla, Sean M. Rovito, Marco Antonio López-Luna and Luis Canseco-Márquez. 2022. A New Arboreal Pseudoeurycea (Caudata: Plethodontidae) from the Sierra de Zongolica, Veracruz, Mexico. Vertebrate Zoology. 72: 937-950. DOI: 10.3897/vz.72.e87275
Resumen: Se describe una nueva especie de salamandra pletodóntida del género Pseudoeurycea de la Sierra de Zongolica en el Estado de Veracruz. La nueva especie se distingue de todas las especies del género por características morfológicas y genéticas y patrón de coloración. Con base en la filogenia de ADN mitocondrial, la nueva especie pertenece al grupo P. juarezi y se encuentra más cercanamente relacionada con P. ruficauda de la Sierra Mazateca en el norte de Oaxaca. La descripción de esta nueva salamandra, incrementa el número de especies de salamandras pletodóntidas de Veracruz a 43 y 140 reconocidas para Mexico.
