Pseudoeurycea lineola explained

Pseudoeurycea lineola, commonly known as the Veracruz worm salamander or Mexican slender salamander, is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae. It is endemic to the eastern slope of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt near Cuautlapan, in the west-central Veracruz, Mexico, at elevations of 800m–1250mm (2,600feet–4,100feetm) above sea level. Molecular evidence suggests that it consists of two distinct species. It was the type species of genus Lineatriton.[1]

Description

Males measure 35mm43mm and females 34mm44mm in snout–vent length. The average tail length is 71mm73mm for males and females, respectively. The males have white (unpigemented) testes and vasa deferentia.

Habitat and conservation

Natural habitats of Pseudoeurycea lineola are pine-oak forests, but it can also survive in shaded coffee plantations. It is a terrestrial species found beneath stones, logs and other debris, and in subterranean situations. The species is threatened by habitat loss caused by expanding agriculture and human settlements and by wood extraction. It is an uncommon species that is difficult to find.

Notes and References

  1. Tanner, W. W.. 1950. A new genus of plethodontid salamander from Mexico. Great Basin Naturalist. 10. 37–44. 10.5962/bhl.part.10363. free.