Aquatic salamander

Description

Pseudoeurycea aquatica, which has been given the common name of aquatic salamander is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae. It is endemic to Mexico and only known from its type locality near Totontepec Villa de Morelos, Oaxaca. The natural habitat of Pseudoeurycea aquatica is cloud forest at about 2,100 m (6,900 ft) above sea level. It lives aquatically in streams, the only plethodontid salamander in Mesoamerica to do so. It is only known from three specimens collected in 1978, and the original habitat has been completely destroyed. Subsequent searches have been unsuccessful, and the species is likely to be extinct. Pseudoeurycea is a genus of salamander in the family Plethodontidae. The members of this genus are commonly known as the false brook salamanders. They are found in Mexico and Guatemala. In order to preserve Ixalotriton and Bolitoglossa while avoiding paraphyly of Pseudoeurycea, species in the former "Pseudoeurycea bellii species group" have been moved to the genus Isthmura, and those in the former "Pseudoeurycea cephalica species group" to Aquiloeurycea.