Calotriton

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Calotriton
File:Euprocte pyrenees.jpg
Pyrenean brook newt (Calotriton asper)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Urodela
Family: Salamandridae
Subfamily: Pleurodelinae
Genus: Calotriton
Gray, 1858
Type species
Hemitriton punctulatus
Dugès, 1852
Diversity
2 species (see text)

Calotriton, or the European brook newts, is a genus of newts native to the Pyrenees and central Catalonia (Catalan Pre-coastal Range). These amphibians were formerly placed within genus Euproctus, but the genus was resurrected in 2005. Instead of Euproctus, they seem more closely related to Triturus, their sister taxon.[1][2]

Evolution

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Calotriton and Triturus are estimated to have split approximately 8 myr ago. This may have been associated with adaptation to fast-running, well-oxygenated mountain streams (instead of ponds in Triturus), leading to some superficial similarity with Euproctus in convergent evolution: strongly depressed head and body, and reduction or even absence of lungs.[3]

Description

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Calotriton are small- to medium-sized newts, 70–167 mm (2.8–6.6 in) in total length. Skin is covered with tubercles bearing horny tips, more so above than beneath, which can be completely smooth. Limbs are moderate, with four fingers and five toes. Body is rounded or slightly depressed. There is no cutaneous dorsal and caudal crest, not even during the breeding season. Tail is about as long as head and body and compressed from side; longer in females and deeper in males. Lungs are absent or very reduced.[3]

Species

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There are two species:[1][4]

Image Scientific name Common name Distribution
File:BennyTrapp Montseny-Gebirgsmolch Calotriton arnoldi Montseny-Gebirge Spanien.jpg Calotriton arnoldi Carranza & Amat, 2005 Montseny brook newt Montseny Massif (Catalan Pre-Coastal Range) in northeast Spain
File:Calotriton asper 1 MHNT.jpg Calotriton asper (Dugès, 1852) Pyrenean brook newt (formerly Euproctus asper) the Pyrenees of Andorra, France, and Spain

References

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  • Andreas Nöllert & Christel Nöllert: Die Amphibien Europas. – Franckh-Kosmos, Stuttgart, 1992. Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
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Error creating thumbnail: File missing Media related to Lua error in Module:Commons_link at line 62: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). at Wikimedia Commons

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