Puxiong salamander facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Puxiong salamander |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Pseudohynobius
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| Species: |
puxiongensis
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| Synonyms | |
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Protohynobius puxiongensis Fei & Ye, 2000 |
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The Puxiong salamander (Pseudohynobius puxiongensis) is a special type of salamander. It belongs to the Hynobiidae family. This salamander lives only in China. You can find it near Puxiong town in Yuexi County, Sichuan Province. This area is part of the Hengduan Mountains. These mountains are in the southeastern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The Puxiong salamander is a small salamander. It has a thin body shape.
How Scientists Discovered This Salamander
The Puxiong salamander was first described in the year 2000. Scientists named it Protohynobius puxiongensis back then. They found it based on just one salamander collected in 1965. This single salamander had a special bone called an internasal bone. Because of this bone, scientists thought it was very unique. They even created a new group, or genus, just for it.
However, more salamanders were found later. Scientists looked for them between 2007 and 2009. These new animals helped scientists study them more closely. They found that the first salamander was a bit unusual. The newer salamanders did not have that special internasal bone. But they looked very similar in other ways.
Also, the Puxiong salamander looks a lot like other Pseudohynobius species. Scientists also checked their DNA. The DNA tests showed it was very closely related to Pseudohynobius salamanders. Because of these findings, scientists decided to move the Puxiong salamander. It is now placed in the Pseudohynobius group. This is how it is listed in the "Amphibian Species of the World" today.
Where the Puxiong Salamander Lives
The very first Puxiong salamander was found in an old potato cellar. But later studies showed where these salamanders usually live. They prefer high mountains. They live at altitudes around 2,900 meters (about 9,500 feet). They also like to breed in cold mountain streams. This is a typical home for salamanders in the Hynobiidae family.
