Tylototriton Anguliceps
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The angular-headed newt (''Tylototriton anguliceps''), also known as angular-headed crocodile newt, is a species of
salamander Salamanders are a group of amphibians typically characterized by their lizard-like appearance, with slender bodies, blunt snouts, short limbs projecting at right angles to the body, and the presence of a tail in both larvae and adults. All t ...
in the family
Salamandridae Salamandridae is a Family (biology), family of salamanders consisting of true salamanders and newts. Salamandrids are distinguished from other salamanders by the lack of rib or costal grooves along the sides of their bodies and by their rough ski ...
from
Thailand Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...
,
Laos Laos, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic (LPDR), is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by Myanmar and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the southeast, and Thailand to the west and ...
, and
Vietnam Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...
. Its unique orange markings help to distinguish it from other species, and also gave it the nickname "Star-Trek newt" or "Klingon newt", as it resembles the ridges on the head of the fictional
Klingon The Klingons ( ; Klingon language, Klingon: ''tlhIngan'' ) are a humanoid species of aliens in the science fiction franchise ''Star Trek''. Developed by screenwriter Gene L. Coon in 1967 for the Star Trek: The Original Series, original ''Star T ...
species from the television show ''Star Trek''.


Distribution

The angular-headed newt can be found inhabiting three different countries: Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. It was initially discovered in
Mường Nhé District Muong may refer to: *Muong people, third largest of Vietnam's 53 minority groups **Muong language, spoken by the Mường people of Vietnam *No Muong, king of the southern Laotian Kingdom of Champasak in 1811 * Mueang Mueang ( Ahom: 𑜉𑜢 ...
and
Thuận Châu District Thuận (Đoan Ánh Thuận) is a French writer and translator of Vietnamese origin. Most of her works were written in Vietnamese and translated into French. Her latest novel, ''B-52 or She Who Loved Tolstoy'' (2025), was written directly in Frenc ...
in Vietnam and Doi Lahnga, a mountain in the
Chiang Mai Province Chiang Mai is the largest Provinces of Thailand, province (''changwat'') of Thailand by area. It lies in Northern Thailand#Regional classification of northern Thailand, upper northern Thailand and has a population of 1.78 million people. It ...
in Thailand, in 2015. While there have yet to be any findings in other countries, there is speculation that the salamander may also inhabit southern China and western Myanmar. It is one of only four known species in the ''Tylototriton'' genus to inhabit Laos.


Habitat and ecology

The ''Tylototriton'' genus is mainly found in Asian countries, centered in Thailand, Vietnam, and Lao. ''Tylototriton anguliceps'' is centrally located in western Vietnam and northeastern Thailand. All of these locations have in common that they are high in elevation ranging from about 1,300- 1,800m, some even higher. ''Tylototriton anguliceps'' seems to prefer tropical and subtropical moist forest as it is mostly found in under these conditions in their perspective countries. Specifically, they are often localized in forest of broad leaves, also known as a forest which is dominated by evergreen vegetation. When ''Tylototriton anguliceps'' have been spotted, they mostly have under rocks, rotting wood, and even in water areas after rainfall. A forest land type would be humid and dense, with a lot of green plant life and moss growth being predominant. Secondly, a wetland habitat, including rivers, streams, and creeks are suitable for the sustainment of the species. This species depends entirely on a forest land type. These habitats are high in rainfall all year long, being the most ideal conditions for ''Tylototriton anguliceps''.


Morphology

Adults have a dark-brown to black color, with bright orange heads, limbs, tails, and markings, as well as prominent dorsal and dorsolateral ridges on the head, distinguishing the species from other species. They have four fingers and five toes that all lack webbing. Males tend to be smaller than females, but have more robust limbs. The snout length is larger as well in females, ranging from 65.4mm - 74.1mm in females, and 61.1 - 62.5 in males.AmphibiaWeb 2020 ''Tylototriton anguliceps'': Angular-headed newt http://amphibiaweb.org/species/8316 University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed Oct 30, 2020.


Gallery


References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q19408969 anguliceps