Dendrotriton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dendrotriton |
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| Dendrotriton rabbi — Guatemalan bromeliad salamander | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Urodela |
| Family: | Plethodontidae |
| Subfamily: | Hemidactyliinae |
| Genus: | Dendrotriton Wake and Elias, 1983 |
| Diversity | |
| 8 species (see text) | |
Dendrotriton are also known as bromeliad salamanders. They are a special type of salamander found only in parts of Central and South America. You can find them from southwestern Chiapas, Mexico, all the way to Honduras.
These salamanders are quite unique because they don't have lungs! Instead, they breathe through their skin and the lining of their mouths. They have a slim body, a long tail, and big, noticeable eyes. Bromeliad salamanders live in high-up forests where the air is very moist and humid.
What Makes Them Special?
Bromeliad salamanders are part of the Plethodontidae family. This family is known for its "lungless" salamanders. This means they don't have lungs to breathe air like we do.
- Breathing through skin: Instead of lungs, they absorb oxygen directly through their moist skin and the wet lining of their mouths. This is why they need to live in very humid places.
- Slender body: They have a thin body shape, which helps them move easily through their habitat.
- Long tail: Their tails are often long and can help them balance or even grab onto things.
- Prominent eyes: They have large eyes that help them see in their forest homes.
Where Do They Live?
Bromeliad salamanders are found in specific areas of Central America. This includes parts of Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras.
- High-elevation forests: They prefer to live in forests that are high up in the mountains.
- Humid environments: These salamanders need a lot of moisture in the air. They often live among plants like bromeliads, which collect water. These plants provide a perfect damp home for them.
Meet the Species
There are eight known species of Dendrotriton salamanders. Each one is a little different, but they all share the unique features of this group. Here are the species:
- Dendrotriton bromeliacius (Schmidt, 1936) – Also called the Common bromeliad salamander.
- Dendrotriton chujorum (Campbell, Smith, Streicher, Acevedo, and Brodie, 2010)
- Dendrotriton cuchumatanus (Lynch and Wake, 1975) – Known as the Cuchumatanas bromeliad salamander.
- Dendrotriton kekchiorum (Campbell, Smith, Streicher, Acevedo, and Brodie, 2010)
- Dendrotriton megarhinus (Rabb, 1960) – This one is called the Longnose bromeliad salamander.
- Dendrotriton rabbi (Lynch and Wake, 1975) – Also known as the Guatemalan bromeliad salamander.
- Dendrotriton sanctibarbarus (McCranie and Wilson, 1997) – The Santa Barbara bromeliad salamander.
- Dendrotriton xolocalcae (Taylor, 1941) – This species is called the Xolocalca bromeliad salamander.
