Northern banana salamander
The northern banana salamander, also known as common dwarf salamander or rufescent salamander, is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae. It is found in the Atlantic slopes of Meso-America from San Luis Potosi, Veracruz, and northern Chiapas in Mexico continuing on to the southern part of Guatemala, Belize, and northern Honduras. However, its range south of Mexico is uncertain because the records may refer to other species.
Description and ecology
The northern banana salamanders are small terrestrial, arboreal salamanders. Their size ranges from snout–vent length and total length. It dwells in tropical and subtropical moist lowland rain forests and mountain ecosystems, as well as in citrus orchards, banana plantations, and pine plantations. Predominantly found in bromeliads in tropical and subtropical wet forests.B.rufescens is dorsally pale brown to tan brown in color and on paler species it may consist of dorsal longitudinal streaks or specks. The ventral area in most species is grey or paler than the dorsal color, in some the coloring might be uniform. A dark brown streaks usually runs from behind the eyes and extend towards is posterior, it may go as far as half the length of the body or farther.
Northern banana salamanders are rather small in size when compared to other salamanders in the genus Bolitoglossa such as the O'Donnell's salamander which are longer in length. The northern banana salamander has a robust body with ll costal grooves running longitudinally between its legs and 3 additional costal grooves in between their limbs. This grooves assist salamanders in water transportation, enhances respiration and aids in thermo-regulation. They possess webbed fingers and toes, with 4 digits on its front limb and 5 digits on its hind limbs. Its snout is truncate and slightly projected on its anterior dorsal view.
This species are lungless salamanders, they lack lungs and breath entirely through their skin and lining of their mouth.