Costa Rica worm salamander facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Costa Rica worm salamander |
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The Costa Rica worm salamander (scientific name: Oedipina cyclocauda) is a special type of salamander. It belongs to the family Plethodontidae, which are lungless salamanders. You can find this salamander in parts of Central America. It lives on the Caribbean side of places like Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Honduras. Its scientific name, cyclocauda, means "circular tail grooves." This describes the ring-like patterns on its tail.
What Does the Costa Rica Worm Salamander Look Like?
These salamanders are quite small. Adult males are about 41 to 45 millimeters long. Adult females are a bit longer, from 42 to 46 millimeters. This measurement is from their snout (nose) to their vent (a small opening near the tail).
Their tail is very long, usually about twice the length of their body. They have a slightly pointed snout and small eyes. Both their body and tail are mostly round, like a cylinder. The tail is only a little bit thinner than the rest of their body.
If you look closely, you'll see grooves on their sides. These are called costal grooves, and they have 19 of them. They also have many grooves on their tail, called caudal grooves, usually between 56 and 70. Their skin feels smooth.
The Costa Rica worm salamander has four fingers and five toes. These digits are mostly joined together. Only a small part, less than one-third, of each finger or toe is free. Their color is usually a grayish slate. This color turns a bit brownish towards the end of their tail.
Where Do These Salamanders Live?
The Costa Rica worm salamander lives in wet, lowland forests. They are usually found in areas below 600 meters (about 2,000 feet) above sea level. However, some have been seen higher up in Honduras. These higher sightings might be a different species of salamander.
These salamanders spend their lives on land. They are also semi-fossorial, which means they like to burrow or live partly underground. They have been found hiding in rotting logs. They often follow tunnels made by beetle larvae inside these logs. They also live in piles of rotting plants or old tree stumps.
Unlike some amphibians, these salamanders do not have a free-swimming larval stage. Their young develop directly into small salamanders.
Protecting the Costa Rica Worm Salamander
The Costa Rica worm salamander is found in many places. However, it is not very common in most areas. In Honduras, though, it is seen more often.
Their biggest threat is the loss of trees. This happens because of farming, new towns, and logging. When trees are cut down, the soil dries out. This makes it hard for the salamanders to survive. Luckily, these salamanders are likely found in some protected natural areas.
