Pleurodeles nebulosus (Guichenot 1850)

The Algerian ribbed newt (Pleurodeles nebulosus) is a species of salamander in the family Salamandridae found in Algeria and Tunisia.^[2] The natural habitats of this newt are rivers, intermittent rivers, swamps, cisterns, freshwater marshes, intermittent freshwater marshes, and ponds. It is threatened by habitat destruction.

Taxonomy

Formerly, this species was confused with Pleurodeles poireti. Carranza and Wade (2004)^[3] found out that most North African Pleurodeles species that had previously been referred to as P. poireti were in fact Pleurodeles nebulosus, an altogether different species. The true P. poireti newts are found only on the Edough Massif, in northeast Algeria.^[1]

Description

The Algerian ribbed newt is a medium-sized species growing to a length of about 23 cm (9 in). The head is flattened and has small eyes and a rounded snout. The body is somewhat flattened and the tail of the male is longer than that of the female. In the breeding season, fins grow above and below the tail. The colour is olive-brown above blotched with darker patches, the flanks are yellowish and the underparts are pale grey, often with darker spots. The skin of the upper parts is very granular.^[4]

Status

Triton nebulosus from Algeria (1850)

The Algerian ribbed newt has a restricted range in northeastern Algeria and western Tunisia. It lives and breeds in freshwater habitats such as marshes, ponds, streams and cisterns. The main threats it faces are pollution of its environment and habitat destruction as the land is put to greater agricultural uses, especially increased grazing by livestock. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as "least concern".^[1]

References

Pleurodeles nebulosus Pleurodeles generoko animalia da. Anfibioen barruko Salamandridae familian sailkatuta dago, Caudata ordenan.

Erreferentziak

Ikus, gainera

• Salamandridae

Pleurodeles nebulosus est une espèce d'urodèles de la famille des Salamandridae^[1]. Auparavant connu sous le nom binomial de Pleurodeles poireti (Gervais, 1835), le pleurodèle algérien a été élevée au rang d'espèce distincte par Salvador Carranza et Edward Wade^[2].

Répartition

Cette espèce se rencontre en Algérie et dans le nord de la Tunisie^[1].

Conservation de l'espèce

Cette espèce est particulièrement menacée par la pollution de l'eau et le drainage des zones humides^[3].

Publication originale

• Guichenot, 1850 : Exploration scientifique de l'Algérie : pendant les années 1840, 1841, 1842. Sciences physiques. Histoire naturelle des reptiles et des poissons, vol. 5, Paris.

Notes et références

Pleurodeles nebulosus é uma espécie de anfíbio caudado pertencente à família Salamandridae. Pode ser encontrada na Argélia e na Tunísia.

Referências

• Donaire-Barroso, D., Salvador, A., Tahar, S., El Mouden, E.H., Geniez, P. & Mateo, J. 2006. Pleurodeles nebulosus. In: IUCN 2007. 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. . Acessado em 13 de setembro de 2008.