Status of Salamandra infraimmaculata

[francesco]

In some articles it is considered a subspecies (Warburg) in others (like Steinfartz's) a species. Have there been any recent updates and what do you guys think?
Cheers
Francesco

 

[frank]

Hi Francesco,

Actually, in all recent publications, S. infraimmaculata is considered a valid species. The taxonomic status within S. infraimmaculata is not clear (eg central Anatolian populations).

 

[william]

I believe that there is a lot of work to be done concerning infraimmaculata and balkan salamandra. As far as i'm aware there are three subspecies, semnovi, infraimmaculata and orientalis. (pictures of the latter two, and range maps for the three can be seen here: http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/Salamandra_guide.shtml

I have heard that some of the balkan populations are thought to be more closely related to infraimmaculata than salamandra, and there are also reports of "infraimmaculata" from Anatolia

 

[francesco]

Frank
Warburg, who has done several articles on S. inframmaculata still considers it a subspecies...

 

[francesco]

Warburg M. R. (2006) Breeding site tenacity in the fire Salamander Salamandra salamandra: a quarter of a century observations in a xeric-inhabiting isolated metapopulation. Bull. Soc. Herp. Fr. 118 : 1-18

...so not exactly everyone considers it a species.

Francesco

 

[william]

as far as i'm aware there is no evidence to suggest that infraimmaculata should not be a seperate species. Data in steinfartz's paper seems to point fairly strongly towards there being 6 seperate species I quote:

"Our more extended analysis here provides evidence that Salamandra now has to be split into at least 6 different species, S. salamandra, S. algeria, S. infraimmaculata, S. corsica, S. atra and S. lanzai. these come out as clear monophyletic untis supporting previous inferences from protein and allozyme data (Gasser 1978; Joger & Steinfartz 1994a; Veith 1994). A revision of the concept of Salamandra being a single polytypic species (Eiselt 1958; Klewen 1991)seems therefore mandatory."

 

[roy]

Since when is the existence of monophyletic units enough proof for a species status?
A species has to be a monophyletic unit but not every monophyletic unit is a species. Last decades there has been a strong inflation of the species level. Nowadays you need arguments not to split in stead of arguments why you'd want to split.
In (sub-)species with separated distributions the status is a construct of our imagination and does not have any biological meaning.

 

[sergé]

Because of genetical, morphological and distributional differences to my opinion S . infraimmaculata is a different (perhaps even more) species. Probably split already 14 mya from the other Salamandra's. But in my judgement I trust on taxonomists and consult the websites of Frost and Wake.