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| Holotype of Bolitoglossa silentium sp. nov. (UCR20489) in life. (B) Bolitoglossa bramei (UCR21930) from Valledel Silencio, (C) B. bramei (UCR23698) from Cerro Fábregas, (E) B. pygmaea (UCR23697) from Cerro Fábregas, and (F) B. pygmaea (no collected) from Cerro Echandi. Arias, Chaves, Kubicki & Parra-Olea, 2024 Photos by E. Arias (A,C,E), Victor Acosta (B), Brian Kubicki (D), and Omar zúñiga (F). |
Abstract
Isthmian Central America boasts a diverse array of salamanders, with a total of 72 species spanning three genera. Among these, a subset of the subgenus Bolitoglossa (Eladinea), stands out as particularly rare within the Cordillera de Talamanca. Many of its species have been discovered since 2009, with the majority documented from fewer than five specimens. In our endeavor to elucidate the taxonomy of this species group, we conducted fieldwork at Tapantí and the summits of Utyum, Echandi, and Fábregas, aiming to locate specimens. Our efforts have led to the expansion of the distributional range and the elucidation of the known body size of Bolitoglossa bramei, while Bolitoglossa robinsoni underwent redefinition. Furthermore, we describe two additional species herein, including a miniature salamander from Cerro Utyum and another salamander of moderate size from Valle del Silencio. As result of this study, the Bolitoglossa diminuta species group is now recognized to encompass seven species, all confined within the limits of the Cordillera de Talamanca.
Amphibia, caudate, Central America, Costa Rica, Panama
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| Photograph in preservation of (A) Bolitoglossa robinsoni (UCR11216), holotype from Cerro Echandi and in-life photographs of species found in the Talamanca Mountain range during this study. (B) B. bramei (UCR21930) from Valledel Silencio, (C) B. bramei (UCR23698) from Cerro Fábregas, (D) B. diminuta (UCR24413) from Tapantí, (E) B. pygmaea (UCR23697) from Cerro Fábregas, and (F) B. pygmaea (no collected) from Cerro Echandi. Photos by E. Arias (A,C,E), Victor Acosta (B), Brian Kubicki (D), and Omar zúñiga (F). |
Bolitoglossa chiquitica sp. nov.
Costa Rican Miniaturized Salamander
Etymology. The specific epithet is a noun in apposition, it is from the Spanish word “chiquitica”, a popular diminutive used by Costa Rican people to refer to especially small things or animals. This name is given in reference to the small size of this species and its restricted distribution to Costa Rica.
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| Holotype of Bolitoglossa silentium sp. nov. (UCR20489) in life. Photograph by Luis G. Artavia. |
Bolitoglossa silentium sp. nov.
Valle del Silencio Web-footed Salamander
Etymology. The specific epithet, silentium, is a noun in apposition and is from Latin, meaning silence. The Spanish meaning of silence is “silencio”, this name was chosen in recognition of the site where this species was found, Valle del Silencio (Silent Valley).
Erick Arias, Gerardo Chaves, Brian Kubicki and Gabriela Parra-Olea. 2024. Taxonomic Assessment of the Bolitoglossa (Eladinea) Subgenus (Caudata: Plethodontidae) with the Description of Two New Species from the Cordillera de Talamanca, Costa Rica. Zootaxa. 5537(2); 211-233. DOI: doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5537.2.3