Leora's stream salamander, also called ajolote, is a critically endangered mole salamander known from a single population on Mount Tlaloc within Iztaccihuatl Popocatepetl National Park, on the border of the State of Mexico and Puebla. It lives in cold mountain streams between 12 and 15 degrees Celsius with highly oxygenated water, set within alpine grassland and mountain forest at high elevation near Mexico City. It is named for Leora T. Hughes, wife of the amateur herpetologist who collected the original specimen, and it faces severe threats from forest clearance, water pollution, human water consumption, cattle grazing, and traditional hunting for food within its extremely limited range.
Facts
Classification
System (Realm) Relationship to PeopleEaten or Drunk by People 1 Living or Extinct Scientific Name Conservation Status Comparison
CITES Appendix Connections
Child Taxon Of
Source Leora's Stream Salamander (Wikidata)
In Biome
River, Biomes Source Wikipedia: Leora's stream salamander
In the Other Atlases
Found In
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Leora's stream salamander
system (MediaWiki batch-API article extract states it plainly)
The Leora's stream salamander or ajolote (Ambystoma leorae) is a rare species of mole salamander in the family Ambystomatidae.
Article text: "Its very specific requirements as regards water"
Its very specific requirements as regards water quality militates against its survival in a habitat where water is being extracted, cattle graze and the salamander has traditionally been eaten as food.
Infobox: status
CR
In Biome: River, Habitat
The salamanders were found in two small streams (2 m wide, 6.5 m depth) with cold water temperature (12 to 15 °C), highly elevated oxygenation water level (78% dissolved oxygen) surrounded by small alpine grassland (Muhlenbergia sp.) and mountain forest (Pinus hartwegii and Abies religiosa).
View the Source2. Leora's Stream Salamander (Wikidata)
Wikidata- Wikidata Q2511165 (P225 taxon name)
Statements section, conservation status (P141)
IUCN Red List conservation status (Wikidata property P141): critically endangered.
- Child Taxon Of: Ambystoma, Wikidata P171 (parent taxon)
View the Source 3. UNEP-WCMC Species+ database (CITES Secretariat): Species+: Amphibia
UNEP-WCMC Species+ database (CITES Secretariat)Species+ taxon_concepts, id 31Quote, Species+ taxon_concepts, id 31
"cites_listing":"I/II/III/NC","eu_listing":"A/B/C/D/NC","higher_taxa":{"kingdom":"Animalia","phylum":"Chordata","class":"Amphibia","order":null,"family":null},"synonyms":[],"common_names":[{"name":"Anfibios","language":"ES"},{"name":"Amphibiens","language":"FR"},{"name":"Amphibians","language":"EN"},{"name":"两栖纲","language":"ZH"}],"cites_listings":[]
UNEP-WCMC Species+ database (CITES Secretariat): Species+: Ambystoma
UNEP-WCMC Species+ database (CITES Secretariat)Species+ taxon_concepts, id 1232Quote, Species+ taxon_concepts, id 1232
"cites_listing":"II/NC","eu_listing":"B/NC","higher_taxa":{"kingdom":"Animalia","phylum":"Chordata","class":"Amphibia","order":"Caudata","family":"Ambystomatidae"},"synonyms":[],"common_names":[],"cites_listings":[]
Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.