Order Urodela Higher classification Pseudoeurycea | Phylum Chordata Family Plethodontidae Scientific name Lineatriton lineolus Rank Species | |
Similar Pseudoeurycea, Lungless salamander, Salamander, Amphibians, Chordate | ||
Pseudoeurycea lineola
Pseudoeurycea lineola (common names: Veracruz worm salamander, Mexican slender salamander) is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae. It is endemic to the Sierra Madre Oriental near Cuautlapan, in the east-central Veracruz, Mexico, at elevations of 800–1,250 m (2,620–4,100 ft) above sea level. Molecular evidence suggests that it consists of two distinct species. It was the type species of genus Lineatriton.
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Description
Males measure 35–43 mm (1.4–1.7 in) and females 34–44 mm (1.3–1.7 in) in snout–vent length. The average tail length is 71 and 73 mm (2.8 and 2.9 in) 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.