The seepage siren (Siren sphagnicola) is a species of aquatic salamander in the family Sirenidae. It was described as a new species in 2023 by Fedler et al. The species is notable for being the smallest described siren species and is distinguished by several unique morphological features.[1][2]
| Seepage siren | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Urodela |
| Family: | Sirenidae |
| Genus: | Siren |
| Species: | S. sphagnicola
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| Binomial name | |
| Siren sphagnicola Fedler, Enge, & Moler, 2023
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The discovery of Siren sphagnicola highlights the ongoing description of new species in the Gulf Coastal Plain, a global biodiversity hotspot. This discovery, along with others like the reticulated or leopard siren (Siren reticulata) described in 2018, underscores the importance of habitat protection and the need for further research to understand these species' roles in their ecosystems.[1][3]
Natural history and distribution
editSiren sphagnicola is found in robust and widely distributed populations in suitable microhabitats in the Blackwater and Yellow river drainages and the western two-thirds of Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b c FEDLER, MATTHEW T.; ENGE, KEVIN M.; MOLER, PAUL E. (2023-03-30). "Unraveling Siren (Caudata: Sirenidae) systematics and description of a small, seepage specialist". Zootaxa. 5258 (4): 351–378. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.5258.4.1. ISSN 1175-5334. PMID 37044589. S2CID 257877596.
- ^ "AmphibiaWeb - Siren sphagnicola". amphibiaweb.org. Retrieved 2023-12-05.
- ^ Graham, Sean P.; Kline, Richard; Steen, David A.; Kelehear, Crystal (2018-12-05). "Description of an extant salamander from the Gulf Coastal Plain of North America: The Reticulated Siren, Siren reticulata". PLOS ONE. 13 (12): e0207460. Bibcode:2018PLoSO..1307460G. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0207460. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 6281224. PMID 30517124.