Puerto Hondo Stream Salamander
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| Ambystoma ordinarium (Taylor, 1840) |
The Puerto Hondo Stream Salamander, Ambystoma ordinarium, is a Mole salamander from the Mexican state of Michoacán. They are only found at Puerto Hondo, in a small stream four miles west of El Mirador, and at Puerto Garnica, in another small stream nearby with dark, cold waters and a temperature of 12.4 C. These streams are high in the mountains, and lay at elevations of 9000 and 9400 feet respectively. Larvae and Neotenes have been found swimming against the current of the streams, at depths of 5-12 inches. Terrestrial adults remain near the banks of the streams and are often found side-by-side with gilled adults. Larvae and neotenes have 16-24 gill rakers (average, 18.8) on their third gill arch.
It has been suggested that this is the same species as the Lake Patzcuaro Salamander, Ambystoma dumerilii, based on genetic analysis, but their habitats have been isolated for 7-10 million years [2] Ambystoma dumerilii is also wholly neotenic, while Ambystoma ordinarium is variable but mostly terrestrial.
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ Shaffer et al (2004). Ambystoma ordinarium. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Database entry includes a range map and justification for why this species is endangered
- ^ Brandon, R.A., "Natural History of the Axolotl." In Developmental Biology of the Axolotl., Ed. J.B. Armstrong and G.M Malacinski. Oxford University Press, 1989.
