Colorful and rare: new species of crocodile salamander discovered in Vietnam

A previously unknown species of crocodile salamander has been discovered in southern Vietnam. The amphibian with a bright orange head and orange stripes and dots on its back was tracked down last year by a German-Vietnamese research team.

The Ngoc Linh Nature Reserve is considered a hotspot of amphibian diversity. A study of the spectacular animal has now been published in the journal Zoo Keys. The crocodile salamander was given the scientific name Tylototriton ngoclinhensis.

“This is an extraordinary discovery as it is one of the most colorful species in the genus Tylototriton,” lead author Trung My Phung said in a statement. For the first time, a species of crocodile salamander has been observed from the central highlands of Vietnam. The discovery at an altitude of over 1800 meters also represents an altitude record for the entire genus.

To save the newly discovered species from extinction, the team is already working on breeding measures for its conservation. Because the Ngoc Linh crocodile salamander belongs to the group of so-called micro-endemic species, which are most endangered due to their small range and presumably small population size.

“Unfortunately, in addition to its special zoo geographic location and rarity, its particularly colorful appearance should also make it extremely attractive to illegal collectors,” the experts warned. In their study, they recommend classifying Tylototriton ngoclinhensis as “threatened” in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

Another recently discovered microendemic species of crocodile salamander (Tylototriton vietnamensis) has already been successfully propagated, said co-author Stefan Ziegler, an aquarium curator and Vietnam project coordinator at the Cologne Zoo. In total, more than 350 individuals have already been successfully bred. (sda/dpa)