Cortes salamander facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cortes salamander |
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The Cortes salamander (Cryptotriton nasalis) is a tiny type of salamander. It belongs to the family Plethodontidae, which are lungless salamanders. You can find this special creature in the mountains of northwestern Honduras and eastern Guatemala. Its name, Cortes salamander, comes from the Cortés Department in Honduras, where it was first discovered.
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What is the Cortes Salamander?
How Scientists Name It
The Cortes salamander was first described by a scientist named Emmett Reid Dunn in 1924. He gave it the scientific name Oedipus nasalis back then. Over time, scientists learned more about it. They changed its name to Cryptotriton nasalis. Another salamander, Nototriton wakei, is now considered the same species. This means they are actually the same animal, just given different names at first.
What Does It Look Like?
The Cortes salamander is quite small! Adult males are about 2.4 to 3.2 centimeters (about 1 to 1.25 inches) long from their snout to their bottom. Females are a bit larger, measuring 2.8 to 3.5 centimeters (about 1.1 to 1.4 inches). Their tail is usually longer than their body.
They have a head that is not too long and not too wide. Their nostrils are big, and their eyes stick out a little. Their legs are thin and quite long. They have webbed fingers and toes, which means there's some skin between them. This might help them climb or move around.
Their skin is mostly dark brown on top. They have lighter brown spots behind their eyes and along their back, down to their tail. Their legs are lighter than their body, but their tail is darker.
Where Does the Cortes Salamander Live?
Its Mountain Home
The Cortes salamander lives in wet mountain forests. These are often called "cloud forests" because they are so high up that clouds often cover them. They live at elevations from about 1,150 to 2,200 meters (about 3,770 to 7,200 feet) above sea level.
This salamander is an arboreal animal. This means it lives in trees and plants, not on the ground. It especially likes to live inside bromeliads. Bromeliads are plants that grow on trees and collect water in their leaves, making perfect little homes for these salamanders.
Where Can You Find It?
You can find many Cortes salamanders in the Cusuco National Park in Honduras. This park is a protected area. In Guatemala, only one Cortes salamander has ever been found, even though scientists have looked for more. This single specimen was found near the Sierra Caral Amphibian Reserve. The salamander also lives in the Cerro Azul de Copán National Park.
Why Is It in Danger?
Sadly, the Cortes salamander is an endangered species. Its forest home is shrinking. People are cutting down trees for farming and illegal logging. These activities destroy the salamander's habitat. Even protected areas like Cusuco National Park and Sierra Caral are affected by these threats. Protecting these forests is very important to help the Cortes salamander survive.
See also
In Spanish: Cryptotriton nasalis para niños
