Systematics and Evolution of the Mesoamerican Salamander Genus Oedipina

Abstract

The genus Oedipina is the most specialized genus within the family Plethodontidaeo Fifteen species are recognized and are placed into two species groups: an Oedipina parvipes group with four species (parvipes, complex, elongata, and carablanca*) and an Oedipina uniformis group with el e v en species (collaris, poelzi, pseudouniformis*, altura*, cyclocauda, uniformis, paucidentata*, alfaroi, taylori, ignea, and stuarti*); an asterisk indicates species described as new in this paper. Several taxa previously recognized ar e reduced to synonymy: Ophiobatrachus vermicularis, Haptoglossa pressicauda, Oedipina syndactyla, 0. bonitaensis, 0. longissima, 0. gracilis, 0. pacificensis, and 0. inusitata are referred to Oedipina uniformis; 0. alleni to Oedipina parvipes. Oedipina apparently evolved sometime during late early Tertiary or early middle Tertiary in the Costa Rica western Panama region and shortly thereafter diverged into two separate species groups, the Oedipina parvipes group and the Oedipina uniformis group. The species range from Estado de Chiapas, Mexico, southward through western Colombia to extreme northwestern Ecuador and occur primarily in low lands or low montane areas up to 2286 m (7500 fto) elevation. Oedipina is primarily fossorial and is often found along road cuts beneath very wet moss or beneath and in rotting logs in pastures of forested areaso Some forms occasionally occur in loose sand or gravel along stream banks.