Minute salamanders facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Minute salamanders
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Amphibia
Order:	Urodela
Family:	Plethodontidae
Subfamily:	Hemidactyliinae
Genus:	Thorius Cope, 1869
Species
See table.

Thorius, also called minute salamanders or Mexican pygmy salamanders, are a special type of salamander. They belong to the Plethodontidae family. These tiny creatures live only in Mexico, mainly in the southern parts like Veracruz, Puebla, Guerrero, and Oaxaca.

About Thorius Salamanders

Thorius salamanders are amazing because they have many different species living in a small area. Other salamander groups, like Bolitoglossa and Pseudoeurycea, have more species overall. But those groups also live in much larger areas. It's common to find two or even three different Thorius species living in the same spot!

Tiny but Unique

These salamanders are known for being super small. Some species are less than 2 cm (0.79 in) long from their snout to their tail vent. Their tail can make their total body length roughly double that. Because they are so tiny, their bodies stop growing at a certain size. They also have a special skeleton. Many parts of their bones become hard (ossified) that stay soft (cartilaginous) in other salamanders.

This makes them easy to tell apart from other types of salamanders. However, it can be tricky to tell different Thorius species apart from each other just by looking at them. Luckily, scientists can use genetic tests to find new species and identify them more easily.

Living Together

When different Thorius species live in the same place, they have found ways to share their home. They often differ in body size or the shape of their teeth. This helps them find different kinds of food or live in slightly different parts of their habitat. This way, they don't compete too much with each other.

Thorius Species List

As of November 15, 2016, there are 29 known species in the Thorius group. Here is a list of them: