Cloud Forest Salamander from Cofre de Perote vs Terrestrial Flat-footed Salamander

Chiropterotriton nubilus compared with Chiropterotriton terrestris

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Cloud Forest Salamander from Cofre de Perote	Terrestrial Flat-footed Salamander
Kingdom same	Animalia (สัตว์)	Animalia (สัตว์)
Phylum same	Chordata (สัตว์มีแกนสันหลัง)	Chordata (สัตว์มีแกนสันหลัง)
Class same	Amphibia (สัตว์สะเทินน้ำสะเทินบก)	Amphibia (สัตว์สะเทินน้ำสะเทินบก)
Order same	Caudata (ซาลาแมนเดอร์)	Caudata (ซาลาแมนเดอร์)
Family same	Plethodontidae	Plethodontidae
Genus same	Chiropterotriton	Chiropterotriton
Species	Chiropterotriton nubilus	Chiropterotriton terrestris

Evolutionary Relationship

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

Conservation Status

Cloud Forest Salamander from Cofre de Perote

CR — Critically Endangered

Terrestrial Flat-footed Salamander

CR — Critically Endangered

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic 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.

Terrestrial Flat-footed Salamander

Habitat

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

Range

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

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