Anderson's Salamander vs Dwarf Shield

Ambystoma andersoni compared with Pluteus nanus

Key Differences

• Anderson's Salamander is Critically Endangered while Dwarf Shield is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Anderson's Salamander	Dwarf Shield
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class	Amphibia (Amphibians)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order	Caudata (Caudata)	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)
Family	Ambystomatidae	Pluteaceae
Genus	Ambystoma	Pluteus
Species	Ambystoma andersoni	Pluteus nanus

Conservation Status

Anderson's Salamander

CR — Critically Endangered

Dwarf Shield

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Anderson's Salamander	Dwarf Shield
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Anderson's Salamander

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical coniferous forests, tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, and Mediterranean forests and woodlands, among 6 distinct biome types spanning the Nearctic and Neotropic realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found in Mexico. Currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Dwarf Shield

Habitat

Typically found in forest floors, decomposing wood, and soil ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and United States.

Anderson's Salamander

The Anderson's Salamander (Ambystoma andersoni) is a species in the genus Ambystoma. It is currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical coniferous forests, tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, and Mediterranean forests and woodlands, among 6 distinct biome types spanning the Nearctic and Neo.