A small salamander endemic to the Pyrenees mountain range, characterized by its aquatic lifestyle and unique adaptations to mountainous stream environments.
Image Gallery
ADSENSE SLOT
Ecology & Habitat
Habitat
Cold, fast-flowing mountain streams and brooks at elevations between 500-2,500 meters in the Pyrenean mountain range, spanning regions of France and Spain.
Ecological Role
Critical indicator species for freshwater ecosystem health, serving as a bioindicator of water quality and environmental changes in mountain stream ecosystems.
Morphology
SKIN COATSmooth, dark gray to black skin with occasional lighter ventral markings, providing camouflage in rocky stream environments
LIMBS WINGSFour robust limbs with webbed toes, enabling efficient swimming and climbing on rocky stream substrates
HEAD SENSORYBroad, flattened head with well-developed external gills in larval stage, transitioning to gill-less respiratory system in adulthood
BODY STRUCTURESmall salamander, typically 10-14 cm in total length, with a flattened body adapted for rapid movement in swift mountain streams
Data Source: TaxonHub Database
Image Credit: Benny Trapp
