Lincoln’s Web-Footed Salamander - Bolitoglossa lincolniBolitoglossa lincolni (Pl

Lincoln’s Web-Footed Salamander - Bolitoglossa lincolni

Bolitoglossa lincolni (Plethodontidae) is a stout salamander with a bright coral red coloration on the back, tail, and dorsal surfaces of limbs, and sometimes the fingers and toes. It is known from the central plateau of Chiapas, Mexico, and mountainous areas of western Guatemala. It lives in low vegetation (probably including mosses), under bark, and in bromeliads, with a broad enough habitat that its populations are not declining. However, due to destruction of habitat, the species is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.

Bolitoglossa species are able to propel themselves forward by an “explosive tail flip” that carries them off the vegetation – a protective device when in danger during its daylight resting hours. Another protective behavior is to raise its tail as an offering to a predator. If the tail is grabbed, the salamander can disarticulate and run off, leaving the predator with only the tail.

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Photo credit: ©Todd Pierson (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) | Locality: Cuchumatanes, Guatemala (2011)