Big-footed Salamander vs Cloud Forest Salamander from Cofre de Perote

Chiropterotriton magnipes compared with Chiropterotriton nubilus

Key Differences

• Big-footed Salamander is Endangered while Cloud Forest Salamander from Cofre de Perote is Critically Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Big-footed Salamander	Cloud Forest Salamander from Cofre de Perote
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Amphibia (Amphibians)	Amphibia (Amphibians)
Order same	Caudata (Caudata)	Caudata (Caudata)
Family same	Plethodontidae	Plethodontidae
Genus same	Chiropterotriton	Chiropterotriton
Species	Chiropterotriton magnipes	Chiropterotriton nubilus

Evolutionary Relationship

Big-footed Salamander and Cloud Forest Salamander from Cofre de Perote share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Chiropterotriton.

Conservation Status

Big-footed Salamander

EN — Endangered

Cloud Forest Salamander from Cofre de Perote

CR — Critically Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Big-footed Salamander	Cloud Forest Salamander from Cofre de Perote
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Big-footed Salamander

Habitat

Typically found in freshwater habitats, moist forests, and wetlands.

Range

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

Cloud Forest Salamander from Cofre de Perote

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.

Big-footed Salamander

The Big-footed Salamander (Chiropterotriton magnipes) is a species in the genus Chiropterotriton. It is currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in freshwater habitats, moist forests, and wetlands.

Cloud Forest Salamander from Cofre de Perote

The cloud forest salamander from Cofre de Perote is a lungless salamander in the genus Chiropterotriton (family Plethodontidae) endemic to the cloud forests and humid pine-oak woodlands of the Cofre de Perote volcanic massif in Veracruz State, Mexico. Chiropterotriton species are small, fully terrestrial plethodontid salamanders that lay terrestrial eggs and have direct development without an aquatic larval stage, a key adaptation to life at high elevations. They inhabit moist leaf litter, rotting logs, and moss mats in cloud forest at elevations between 2,000 and 3,500 meters, feeding on small invertebrates. The Cofre de Perote massif supports several endemic and near-endemic amphibian species due to its isolation as a distinct highland island surrounded by lowland habitats. This salamander faces severe threats from deforestation and degradation of cloud forest on the Cofre de Perote through clearing for agriculture and livestock grazing, drought stress from altered cloud immersion patterns associated with climate change, and the extremely limited extent of remaining suitable habitat on this single volcanic peak.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 1 countries:

🇲🇽 Mexico