This document describes a new species of worm salamander from the genus Oedipina found in Fortuna, Panama. The authors describe the physical characteristics and key distinguishing features of the new species, Oedipina (Oedopinola) fortunensis, compared to similar known species. A single male specimen was collected and serves as the holotype for the new species. The new species differs from others in its number of maxillary teeth and various proportional measurements. This finding of an unknown species highlights the diversity that remains to be discovered among fossorial salamanders in tropical environments.

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Senckenbergiana biologica | 87 | 2 | 213­–217 | 3­ figs. | Frankfurt am Main, 17. xii. 2007
A new species of worm salamander (genus Oedipina) from Fortuna,
western central Panama
(Amphibia, Caudata, Plethodontidae)
Gunther Köhler, Marcos Ponce & abel batista
Abstract
We describe a new species of worm salamander (Oedipina (Oedopinola) fortunensis, holotype
male in Senckenberg, Frankfurt am Main) from Fortuna, west-central Panama. The new species
appears to be most similar to O. savagei, a species from southeastern Costa Rica. It differs from
O. savagei in having a greater number of maxillary teeth, a less elongate third toe, a single large
premaxillary tooth that is distinctly offset, a greater ratio tail length/SVL, and in coloration.
K e y w o r d s : Amphibia; Caudata; Plethodontidae; Oedipina; Oedopinola; new species;
Panama
Eine neue Wurmsalamanderart (Gattung Oedipina) aus Fortuna, westlich-
zentrales Panama (Amphibia, Caudata, Plethodontidae)
Z u s a m m e n f a s s u n g : Wir beschreiben eine neue Wurmsalamanderart (Oedipina (Oedo­
pinola) fortunensis, Holotypus männlich in Senckenberg, Frankfurt am Main) aus Fortuna, west-
lich-zentrales Panama. Die neue Art ähnelt am meisten O. savagei, einer Art aus dem südöstlichen
Costa Rica. Sie unterscheidet sich von O. savagei durch eine größere Anzahl Maxillarzähne, eine
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weniger stark verlängerte dritte Zehe, einen einzelnen großen Prämaxillarzahn, der deutlich nach
vorne versetzt ist, eine relativ größere Schwanzlänge sowie in der Färbung.
Introduction
Western Panama supports a rich salamander fauna Costa Rica demonstrated that this specimen represents
with close to 20 species of the genera Bolitoglossa and an undescribed species. The purpose of the present paper
Oedipina known to occur in that region (YounG et al. is to describe this new species.
1996, hanKen et al., 2005, WaKe et al. 2005). In January
2006 we spent four weeks in the field, collecting at sev-
Materials and methods
eral locations in the provinces of Chiriquí and Bocas del
Toro. Among other salamanders, we collected a speci- Comparitive data for the species of the subgenus Oedo­
men of relatively short-tailed Oedipina. Comparisons pinola from Lower Central America are taken from taYlor
with the known species of Oedipina from Panama and (1954), braMe (1968), García-París & WaKe (2000), and
Authors’ addresses:
Dr. Gunther Köhler, Forschungsinstitut und Naturmuseum Senckenberg, Senckenberganlage 25, D-603­25 Frankfurt am Main,
Germany; gkoehler@senckenberg.de
Marcos Ponce & Abel batista, Instituto de Ciencias Ambietales y Desarrollo Sostenible, Universidad Autónoma de
Chiriquí, David, Panamá.
© E. Schweizerbart’sche Verlagsbuchhandlung (Nägele u. Obermiller), 2007, ISSN 003­7–2102

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Fig. 1. Holotype of Oedipina fortunensis (SMF 85064) in life, SVL 3­3­.5 mm.
savaGe (2002). Abbreviations for museum collections follow limb length), HAW (hand width), and HFW (hind foot width).
those of leviton et al. (1985). All measurements were made us- Maxillary and vomerine tooth counts are both sides summed
ing precision calipers and were rounded to the nearest 0.1 mm. if not otherwise indicated. Some information on osteology has
Abbreviations used are SVL (snout-vent length, tip of snout to been derived from radiographs of the holotype. The capitalized
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posterior angle of vent), TL (tail length), HL (head length, tip colors and color codes (the latter in parentheses) are those of
of snout to gular fold), HW (greatest head width), HLL (hind sMithe (1975–1981).
Results
Oedipina (Oedopinola) fortunensis sp. n. subgenus Oedopinola from lower Central America by
the following characteristics (conditions for O. fortunen­
H o l o t y p e ♂: SMF 85064 (Figs. 1–3­), an adult male sis in parentheses): Oedipina alleni taYlor 1954: adult
from Reserva Forestal Fortuna, near Finca de Gustavo San- males 42–58 mm in SVL (3­3­.5 mm); hands and feet
tamaría, 8°43­‘52“ N, 82°15‘3­5“ W, 1270 m, Chiriquí, Panama; broader with more elongate digits (narrower with less
collected on 17. i. 2006 by G. Köhler, a. batista and M.
elongate digits); head cream white (brown with cream
Ponce. Original field number GK-1459. In coll. Senckenberg,
Frankfurt am Main. ― No paratypes. blotches); dorsum cream, heavily speckled with brown
E t y m o l o g y : The name fortunensis is derived from pigment (brown with white flecks); no dorsolateral
Reserva Forestal Fortuna where the holotype of the species was cream colored stripe (such a stripe present). Oedipina
collected, and the Latin suffix -ensis (denoting place or locality). carablanca braMe 1968: 10–12 vomerine teeth (14);
adult males 47–54 mm in SVL (3­3­.5 mm); very robust
D i a g n o s i s : A small (3­3­.5 mm SVL), robust mem- habitus (less robust). Oedipina complex: ratio SVL/tail
ber of Oedipina (Oedopinola) with a narrow head and a length 0.89 (0.72); ratio SVL/head width 10.2 (8.6);
relatively short, rounded snout. It differs from all other adults to 45.6 mm in SVL (3­3­.5 mm); bluntly rounded
species in the subgenus Oedopinola from lower Central snout (less bluntly rounded). Oedipina maritima García-
America except O. complex (Dunn 1924) by its high París & WaKe 2000: adult males 3­8–46 mm in SVL
number of maxillary teeth (27 versus fewer than 20). It (3­3­.5 mm); ratio SVL/tail length 0.59 (0.72); ratio SVL
can be further distinguished from the other species in the /head length 6.7–7.1 (5.2). Oedipina parvipes (Peters

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Fig. 2. Holotype of Oedi­ eschweizerbartxxx sng-
pina fortunensis (SMF
85064). A) dorsal view of
head; B) roof of mouth; C)
dorsal view of forefoot; D)
dorsal view of hind foot.
Scale bars equal 1.0 mm.
1879): pale ventral coloration (dark ventral coloration). HFW 19,7. The head is moderate in width, the snout is
Oedipina savagei García-París & WaKe 2000: more short and blunt (Fig. 2). Nostrils are small and situated
elongate third toe (less elongate); premaxillary teeth near the tip of the snout. Swollen labial protuberances
small and usually not offset (a single large premaxillary are present. Eyes are of moderate size and stand out from
tooth that is distinctly offset); ratio tail length/SVL 0.65 the head, extending laterally beyond the limits of the
(0.72); head cream white (brown with cream blotch- head, visible beyond margin of jaw when viewed from
es); dorsum brown with pale stripe (brown with white below. The shallow postorbital groove extends posteri-
flecks); no dorsolateral cream colored stripe (such a orly from eye before bifurcating at level of gular fold;
stripe present); gular region white (cream); undersides one branch turns sharply ventrally to connect with the
of tail paler than venter (same color as venter); iris black gular fold, the other branch reaches across dorsal neck
with silvery pingment (bronce). and connects with the branch of the other side. Another
D e s c r i p t i o n o f h o l o t y p e (70% ethanol): An ventral branch splits from the postorbital groove just
adult male as indicated by offset premaxillary tooth and posterior to mandible, extending irregularly across throat
the presence of papillae in the cloaca with the follow- anterior to gular fold. The distinct nasolabial groove
ing measurements and proportions: SVL 3­3­.5 mm; TL extends from lower posterior margin of each nostril to
46,5 mm; SVL/TL 0,72; HL 6,5 mm; SVL/HL 5,2; HW lip. A single large premaxillary tooth is distinctly offset,
3­,9 mm; SVL/HW 8,6; HHL 4,3­ mm; SVL/HHL 7,8; almost piercing the lip. No mental gland is evident. 13­
HAW 1,2 mm; SVL/HAW 27,9; HFW 1,7 mm; SVL/ (right)–14 (left) maxillary teeth. 7 (right)–7 (left) vomer-

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Fig. 3­. X-ray of the holotype of Oedipina fortunensis (SMF 85064), SVL 3­3­.5 mm.
ine teeth, each patch in a curved row. There are 17 costal to fossorial salamanders of the subgenus Oedopinola.
grooves between the limbs, counting one each in the ax- The fact that we have encountered an undescribed spe-
illa and the groin. Limbs are of moderate length for this cies of this group of salamanders in the relatively well-
subgenus; 8 costal folds between adpressed limbs. Hands sampled area of Fortuna supports this view. Only inten-
and feet are small and are moderately broad but short. sive long-term collecting efforts will lead to a realistic
The digits are syndactylous, and only the triangular tips understanding of the actual diversity in such a tropical
of the longest central digits are free. Fingers, in order of environment.
decreasing length, are 3­-2-4-1; toes are 3­-2-4-5-1. The
tail is round, narrow in cross section and relatively short.
Cloacal papillae are present.
C o l o r a t i o n i n l i f e : Dorsal ground color of Acknowledgments
head, trunk and tail Warm Sepia (color 221A in sMithe
1975–1981) with a dorsolateral Tawny (3­8) longitudinal eschweizerbartxxx sng-
Collecting and exportation permits were provided by Y.
hiDalGo, Autoridad Nacional del Ambiente (ANAM), Panama
stripe; head with Buff (124) blotches; dorsal surfaces of
City, Panama. Q. D. FuenMaYor, Panama City, Panama, pro-
upper foreleg and thigh Chamois (123­D), of lower fore- vided valuable assistance with acquisition of these permits. M.
leg and shank Vandyke Brown (121); venter Sepia (119) PiePenbrinG, Botanisches Institut der J. W. Goethe-Universität,
with Drab-Gray (119D) flecks; iris Antique Brown (3­7). Frankfurt am Main, Germany, and B. E. sanjur, Instituto de
O s t e o l o g y : There are 18 trunk vertebrae (17 of Ciencias Naturales y Exactas de la Universidad Autónoma de
which bear ribs) and 3­6 caudal vertebrae (Fig. 3­); the Chiriquí (UNACHI), David, Panama, provided logistic support
skull is relatively robust and well articulated; a small for our studies in Panama. This paper is based on part upon
diamond-shaped fontanelle is present between the frontal work supported by the Deutscher Akademischer Austausch-
and parietal bones; preorbital processes on the vomer are dienst (DAAD) through the Partnership Program between the
J. W. Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main, Germany, and
evident; digits are weakly developed and barely count-
the Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas der Universidad
able; the phalangeal formulas appear to be 0-1-2-1 and Autónoma de Chiriquí (UNACHI), David, Panama. We thank
0-1-2-2-1; tibial spurs are not evident. C. birnbauM (SMF) for providing the drawings used in this
D i s c u s s i o n : Mccranie (2006) commented on the paper. We are grateful to J. habersetzer (SMF) for providing
difficulties of collecting specimens of the semifossorial the x-ray image used in this study.
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