Species account

Description
Paradactylodon persicus is a large-bodied salamander. Trunk with 11-14 costal grooves. Dorsal vertebral groove. Gular fold distinct. Limbs well developed with digits overlapping when adpressed. Four fingers and four toes, with horny asperities on the tips. Tail compressed laterally, with thin upper and lower caudal fins. Tail usually slightly longer than snout-vent length. Head form more or less rectangular, in some specimens widening anteriorly.

Information on cloaca shape and sexual dimorphism is unclear (Kami, 2004).

Colour dark olive brown to yellowish olive, with yellow spots, especially arranged along the vertebral groove. The belly is lighter.

Total length 20 to 26 cm (Kami, 2004).

Diagnosis
Robust large-bodied salamander with rectangular head and prominent eyes, four fingers and four toes, and tail usually longer than snout-vent length. Yellow spots on back and tail.

Eggs and larvae
Egg sacs of this species have not been described, but may be similar to eggs of Paradactylodon gorganensis (Ebrahimi et al., 2004). Paradactylodon persicus was originally described and named in its larval state (Eiselt & Steiner, 1970). Larvae have since been described by Schmidtler & Schmidtler (1971) and Kami (2004): Vomerine teeth in two arch-shaped rows. Black horny margin on lower jaw. Snout rounded, head large. 14-15 costal grooves. Four digits on fore and hind limbs. In larvae of 50 mm brownish-black asperities (claws) appear on the tips. In older larvae of c. 70 mm the claws disappear again (Schmidtler & Schmidtler, 1971). Distinct upper caudal fin. In young larvae the colour is light yellow without distinct spots. Larger larvae have irregular dark grey spots. Belly without pattern. Larvae are found all year round and probably metamorphose in their second year (Kami, 2004). Metamorphosis at 70-100 mm. Juveniles have contrasting yellow-black coloration. Tail length same as snout-vent length. No claws on finger and toe tips. Longitudinal cloacal fold (Schmidtler & Schmidtler, 1971). Juveniles, like adults, have been found in water and on land.

Distribution
This species is found on the Caspian slope of the Talysh and Elburz Mountains, in the provinces of Ardabil, Gilan, Golestan and Mazanderan in Iran (Baloutch & Kami, 1995; Kami, 2004; IUCN, Conservation International & NatureServe, 2006).

Habitat
Although not a strict high altitude salamander such as its Afghan sister species, Paradactylon persicus lives in cold (temp. normally below13°C) streams and in caves in broad-leafed forests with high precipitation, at altitudes up to 1,500 m. Streams are bordered by rich vegetation. Larvae prefer relatively quiet water with rocks. On land juveniles and adults are hard to find; adults probably are mainly aquatic, but have also been found in burrows on land (Steiner, 1973; Kami, 2004).

Behaviour
Analysis of stomach contents showed that aquatic insects and their larvae were eaten, but also salamander larvae of their own kind. The stomach of one salamander collected in a cave contained two hairless bats (Myotis blythii) (Kami, 2004; but Kami refers to animals from the type locality of P. gorganensis). Outside caves, where the difference between night and day is invisible, the animals are active at night. Life history and ecology of this species are largely unknown.

Threats and conservation
The species is presumed to be susceptible to any habitat changes and habitat loss and is listed as near threatened (IUCN, Conservation International, and NatureServe, 2006).

Observations in captivity
There are no accounts of captive maintenance, apart from the report by Schmidtler & Schmidtler (1971), who raised larvae and described the juvenile.

Comments
The taxonomic relation of P. persicus to the other Iranian species, P. gorganensis, is still unclear. Kami (1999; 2004) refers to specimens from the type locality of gorganensis (Shirabad Cave) as persicus. Paradactylodon gorganensis may be a variant or subspecies of P. persicus (Stöck, 1999; Ebrahimi et al., 2004), but the species status is best maintained until more data on Iranian Paradactylodon are available.

Paradactylodon persicus
© 2001 Arie van der Meijden

 
© 2006 IUCN, Conservation International and NatureServe. (click on map to enlarge)