Smith's false brook salamander facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Smith's false brook salamander |
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The Smith's false brook salamander (scientific name: Pseudoeurycea smithi) is a type of salamander. It belongs to a family called Plethodontidae. This special salamander lives only in certain mountains in Mexico. It likes to live in warm, wet mountain forests. Sadly, its home is shrinking, which puts it in danger.
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About Smith's False Brook Salamander
Smith's false brook salamander is a fairly large salamander. It can grow up to 14.6 centimetres (5.7 in) long. About half of its length is its tail! It has a wide head. Behind its eyes, it has large bumps called paratoid glands. These glands can sometimes release a milky substance as a defense.
Its body has 12 to 15 grooves on each side. These are called costal grooves. Its tail can grip things, like a monkey's tail. The tail also has a narrow part near its body. Its legs are thin, and its fingers and toes are partly or fully webbed.
The salamander's back is dark brown. Its sides are olive brown with black stripes. Its belly is light in color. The chin is creamy with brown spots. The sides of its tail also have black spots.
Where It Lives and Its Home
Pseudoeurycea smithi lives in several mountain ranges. You can find it in the northwest part of Oaxaca State, Mexico. It lives at high places, between 2,500 and 3,000 metres (8,200 and 9,800 ft) above sea level.
Its favorite home is in pine forests. It often hides under loose bark on fallen logs. This salamander has shown it can live in forests that have grown back. This happens after the original, very old forests are cut down.
Life Cycle and Habits
Smith's false brook salamander lives on land. Not much is known about how it has babies. Scientists believe the female salamander watches over her eggs. When the eggs hatch, tiny salamanders come out directly. They do not go through a larval stage, like tadpoles do for frogs. This is called direct development.
Why This Salamander Is in Danger
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species says this salamander is "Critically Endangered". This means it is at a very high risk of disappearing forever. It used to be very common in its home area. But by 2004, its numbers had dropped by more than 80 percent.
People have cut down trees and changed how they farm in these mountains. These activities affect the salamander's home. However, good quality habitat still exists. So, these changes don't fully explain why so many salamanders have disappeared. The reason for their population drop is still a mystery.
Some of the areas where it lives are part of the Parque Nacional Benito Juarez. This national park helps with conservation efforts. More research is needed to find out why this salamander's population has fallen so much.
