Ambystoma dumerilii
LAGO DE PATZCUARO SALAMANDER
Ambystoma dumerilii - Dugès 1870
IDENTIFICATION:
DISTRIBUTION:
Ambystoma dumerilii is known only from Lago de Pátzcuaro (Pátzcuaro Lake), at an elevation of 2055′. A record exists for this species from San Juan del Río, Queretáro but this surely cannot represent A. dumerilii.
HABITAT:
Ambystoma dumerilii was a member of several trophic zones of the lake it inhabits, but recently it became rare in the upper levels due to competition and predation by introduced fish.
NATURAL HISTORY:
Ambystoma dumerilii is a paedomorphic species, meaning it lives its entire life underwater and retains the morphology of a larvae through sexual maturity. This species is probably active during the day, but moves into shallower waters at night to feed on snails, crayfish and other aquatic invertabrates.
TAXONOMY:
This is a well-differentiated species of Ambystoma, with an external morphology much like A. andersoni.
TYPE:
Described as Siredon dumerilii by Dugès (1870). Syntypes: USNM 16201-202; ANSF 13862. Type locality: Laguna de Pátzcuaro, Michoacán, Mexico, elevation 2055 feet.
PERSONAL NOTES:
I have no experience with this species, having never been within its range.
CONSERVATION STATUS:
IUCN Red List Status for Ambystoma dumerilii is currently listed as “Critically Endangered” due to the entire species encompasing a single declining population. Pollution, competition and predation by introduced fishes and human consumption of this species has led to its decline. This species has been greatly exploited by fishermen for decades; commercial capture volumes were reported by Orbe et al. (1991) as 19 tons in 1987, 12.5 tons in 1988, 1.7 tons in 1989 and 2 tons in 1991. Since 1991 volumes of capture are nearly immeasurable due to the comparitive paucity of animals brought in to the markets for sale. One author suggested that the average recent daily catch is two to three dozen animals (del Carmen Huacúz Elías, 2001). A. dumerilii is afforded Special Protection status by the Mexican Government, but it does not occur in any protected areas. This species is an excellent example of how the protection status of a species in Mexico means little to the population and is not enforced to any degree.
REFERENCES:
Huacúz Elias, D. de. C. 2001. Estado de Conservación del Genero Ambystoma en Michoacán, Mexico. 53 pgs. ISBN 968-817-391-6