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Paramesotriton caudopunctatus Hu, Zhao & Liu (1973)

Taxonomy

Next to the “real” P. caudopunctatus in Guizhou, related individuals have been found in the nearby province Guangdong. These likely represent a new subspecies, or a close related species (Weisrock et al. 2006). The species is morphologically intermediate between Paramesotriton and Pachytriton, which is supported by genetic analyses. Because of its unique morphological characteristics, P. caudopunctatus was once identified as a species of the genus Allomesotriton (Freytag 1983). By comparing the morphological characteristics of the skull, skeleton, and hyoid apparatus of Warty Newts, Pang et al. (1992) considered Allomesotriton to be a subgenus of Paramesotriton (Lu et al. 2004).

Appearance

As said above, the species is morphologically intermediate between Paramesotriton and Pachytriton. The snout is long compared to other Paramesotriton, and males develop spots on the tail during the breeding season, just like Pachytriton labiatus.

Distribution and habitat

P. caudopunctatus is known from south-eastern Chongqing (Xie et al. 2004), south-western Hunan, eastern Guizhou, and Fuchuan in eastern Guangxi in central China, from 500-1,800m asl. It probably occurs more widely than current records suggest (IUCN 2006). The habitat information is published in the species description (Hu et al. 1973) and has been translated to Dutch in Sparreboom (1981). The species is apparently common within its range and can be found on the edges of streams, ponds and rivers. P. caudopunctatus does not leave the water. Amphibian species which live in the same habitat are Pachytriton-, Megophrys- and Vibrissaphora sp. Tylototriton asperrimus is found nearby.

Conservation and status in captivity

Considering the quite large distribution, and the fact that the species is very common within its range (IUCN 2006) it does not seem to be threatened at the moment. Only small and infrequent imports have been made, creating some breeding groups in Europe and Japan. Breeding results have been made, but sharing experiences between breeders could result in more frequent offspring. 

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Freytag, G. E. (1983): Zur systemtischen stellung von Trituride caudopunctatus (Liu and Hu, 1973) morphometischen and rontgenanatomische befunde (Amphibia, Caudata: Salamandridae). Zool. Abj. Mus. Tierk. (Dresden) 39(2):39–49.

Hu, S.-Q., E.M Zhao & C.C Liu (1973): A survey of amphibians and reptiles in Kweichow province, including a herpetofaunal analysis. Acta Herpetologica Sinica. 19(2):149-178.

IUCN, Conservation International, and NatureServe. (2006): Global Amphibian Assessment. <www.globalamphibians.org>. Accessed on 28 January 2008.

Lu, S., Z-G. Yuan, J. Pang, D. Yang, F. Yu, P. McGuire, F. Xie & Y-P. Zhang (2004):  Molecular Phylogeny of the Genus Paramesotriton (Caudata: Salamandridae). Biochemical Genetics 42(5/6): 139-148.

Pang, J., Y. Jiang & Q. Hu (1992): A systematic study on the Chinese newt genus Paramesotriton (Caudata: Salamandridae). In Jiang, Y. (ed.), Collected Papers on Herpetology, Sichuan Science and Technology Publishing House, Chengdu, pp. 89–100. (in Chinese)

Sparreboom, M. (1981): Een onbekende salamander uit China: Paramesotriton caudopunctatus. Lacerta 39c (jaargang nr. 8): 102–108.

Weisrock, D. W., T. J. Papenfuss, J. R. Macey, S. N. Litvinchuk, R. Polymeni, I. H. Ugurtas, E. Zhao, H. Jowkar & A. Larson (2006): A molecular assessment of phylogenetic relationships and lineage accumulation rates within the family Salamandridae (Amphibia, Caudata). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 41: 368–383.

Xie, F., X-F. He & T. Wen (2004): Two Salamander Records New To Chongqing. Sichuan Journal of Zoology 23(3): 215-216.