Genus account
Neurergus Cope, 1862
Salamanders of the Middle Eastern genus Neurergus are moderately slender salamanders, dark-brown to black above, with a pattern of yellow spots. Only N. kaiseri has a different colour pattern and is smaller than the other three species. Neurergus species are known as stream inhabiting. Premaxillary bone single. Frontosquamosal arch incomplete. Tongue rounded, small, free on the sides and largely free behind. Palatal teeth arranged in two straight rows which converge anteriorly and diverge posteriorly. Paratoid glands present, poorly defined. Five toes on hind limbs; tail long, compressed; maxilla in contact with pterygoid (Leviton et al., 1992). Molecular work has shown that the genus Neurergus is monophyletic (Steinfartz et al., 2002). Presently four species are recognized.
Neurergus kaiseri Schmidt, 1952
References
Leviton, A.E., Anderson, S.C., Adler, K. & Minton, S.A., (1992). Handbook to Middle East Amphibians and Reptiles. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles.
Steinfartz, S., Hwang, U.W., Tautz, D., Öz, M. & Veith, M., (2002)."Molecular Phylogeny of the Salamandrid Genus Neurergus: Evidence for an Intrageneric Switch of Reproductive Biology." Amphibia-Reptilia, 23: 419-431.
Thursday, May 14, 2009