Editor: Jean-Nicolas Volff
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A new genus and species of lungless salamander (family Plethodontidae) from the Appalachian highlands of the south-eastern United States
Article first published online: 22 JUN 2009
DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7998.2009.00593.x
© 2009 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2009 The Zoological Society of London
Additional Information
How to Cite
Camp, C. D., Peterman, W. E., Milanovich, J. R., Lamb, T., Maerz, J. C. and Wake, D. B. (2009), A new genus and species of lungless salamander (family Plethodontidae) from the Appalachian highlands of the south-eastern United States. Journal of Zoology, 279: 86–94. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-7998.2009.00593.x
Publication History
- Issue published online: 20 AUG 2009
- Article first published online: 22 JUN 2009
- Received 5 February 2009; revised 27 April 2009; accepted 30 April 2009
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Keywords:
- miniaturization;
- new species;
- new genus;
- dimorphism;
- plethodontid;
- phylogeny
Abstract
We describe a striking new species of the lungless salamander family Plethodontidae from the Appalachian foothills of northern Georgia, USA. This miniature species, c. 25–26 mm (adult standard length), is so distinctive genetically and morphologically that we erect a new genus, the first new genus of amphibian described from the US in nearly 50 years. It is unique among plethodontids from eastern North America in displaying sexual colour dimorphism. Although certain miniaturized plethodontids exhibit a reduced number (four) of digits on the pes, this species possesses a full complement of five toes. A plethodontid phylogeny derived from mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences places it in the tribe Spelerpini as the sister taxon to Eurycea. Genetic divergence between the new species and Eurycea for the nuclear gene Rag-1 (4.7%) is among the higher levels observed between long-established spelerpine genera (2.6–5.3%). This new form appears to be rare and is of immediate conservation concern.