Abstract
A new genus and species of plethodontid bolitoglos- sin: salamander is described from material collected in northwestern Guatemala. Bradytriton silus new genus, new species, is unique in a cornbination of structural characteristics that includes a laterally cornpressed tail, stocky body with no clearly defined neck, and short, slender limbs bearing syndactylous hands and feet. To diagnose the new genus, an analysis of the entire neotropical assemblage of pleth- od(intid salamanders was undertaken. Approximately 138 species bel Jng to the supergenus Bolitoglossa and 1 1 genera are recognized. Th: genus Chiropterotriton is shown to be polyphyletic; thus, two new genera are described. Nototriton new genus, includes the picadoi group of Chiropterotriton beta. Dendrotriton new genus, includes the hrc meliacia group of Chiropterotriton beta. Those species formerly cal ed Chiropterotriton alpha remain as the sole representatives of the genus. Eight of the eleven neotropical genera are shown to be monophyletic. Of the three exceptional genera, both Dendrotriton and Nototriton are nonparaphyletic relative to all genera except Oed- ipiaa. but Dendrotriton is easily distinguished from Oedipina. No- tot,iton may be paraphyletic relative to Oedipina, but the two genera car be readily distinguished on the basis of major differences in ecc logy and shape. Pseudoeurycea comprises morphologically gen- eralized species that may not be far removed from the morphology off he ancestral stock ofthe entire neotropical group. Only Nyctanolis and Chiropterotriton are more plesiomorphic than Pseudoeurycea. Lists of species assigned to the genera are provided. Potential rela- tio iships within the supergenus Bolitoglossa are discussed, but par- alldism and convergence have been so extensive that no definitive sta ement concerning generic affinities is possible.
Published Version
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