Coffee Grove Salamander vs Common Ground-Cherry
Aquiloeurycea cafetalera compared with Physalis longifolia
Key Differences
- Coffee Grove Salamander is Vulnerable while Common Ground-Cherry is Not Evaluated.
Taxonomic Classification
| Rank | Coffee Grove Salamander | Common Ground-Cherry |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Animalia (Animals) | Plantae (Plants) |
| Phylum | Chordata (Chordates) | Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants) |
| Class | Amphibia (Amphibians) | Magnoliopsida (Dicots) |
| Order | Caudata (Caudata) | Solanales (Solanales) |
| Family | Plethodontidae | Solanaceae |
| Genus | Aquiloeurycea | Physalis |
| Species | Aquiloeurycea cafetalera | Physalis longifolia |
Conservation Status
Coffee Grove Salamander
VU — VulnerableCommon Ground-Cherry
NE — Not EvaluatedPhysical Characteristics
| Attribute | Coffee Grove Salamander | Common Ground-Cherry |
|---|---|---|
| Diet | — | — |
| Average Lifespan | — | — |
| Average Length | — | — |
| Average Weight | — | — |
Habitat & Geographic Range
Coffee Grove Salamander
Typically found in freshwater habitats, moist forests, and wetlands.
Found in Mexico. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.
Common Ground-Cherry
Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.
Distributed across Sweden and United States.
Coffee Grove Salamander
The Coffee Grove Salamander (Aquiloeurycea cafetalera) is a small, fully terrestrial plethodontid salamander in the family Plethodontidae, endemic to the cloud forests and coffee agroforestry zones of the Sierra de Juárez in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. Like all plethodontid salamanders, it is lungless, relying entirely on cutaneous gas exchange through its moist skin, making it exquisitely sensitive to desiccation and temperature changes. Adults are slender, with a reddish-brown dorsum and light-coloured venter, typically measuring 5–8 centimetres in total length. The species inhabits cool, humid cloud forest floor environments and the leaf litter and bark of shade-grown coffee plantations at elevations approximately between 1,500 and 2,500 metres—an association that gives it its common name. The presence of this salamander in coffee agroforestry systems highlights the biodiversity value of traditional shade-grown cultivation compared to sun-grown monocultures. The Coffee Grove Salamander is classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN due to its restricted distribution, estimated extent of occurrence below 5,000 square kilometres, and ongoing threats from habitat loss through deforestation, conversion to sun-grown coffee cultivation, and climate-driven changes to cloud forest conditions. No ex situ conservation programmes are known to be in place.
Common Ground-Cherry
The common ground cherry, <em>Physalis longifolia</em>, is a flowering plant belonging to the family Solanaceae, the nightshade family. It is a herbaceous species typically found across Sweden and the United States. Within its range, the species inhabits a variety of terrestrial environments where its lantern-like papery husks enclose small edible fruits. As a member of the genus Physalis, it is related to tomatillos and cape gooseberries, sharing the characteristic inflated calyx that surrounds the berry at maturity. The species typically grows in open disturbed areas, roadsides, fields, and grassland margins. No dietary information has been provided for this species. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.
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