Tylototriton podichthys Phimmachak, Aowphol, and Stuart, 2015

Class: Amphibia > Order: Caudata > Family: Salamandridae > Subfamily: Pleurodelinae > Genus: Tylototriton > Species: Tylototriton podichthys

Tylototriton (Tylototriton) podichthys Phimmachak, Aowphol, and Stuart, 2015, Zootaxa, 4006: 301. Holotype: NCSM 77721, by original designation. Type locality: "Laos, Luang Phabang Province, Phoukhoun District, Nam Madao Village, 19º18’0.3”N 102º34’25.2”E, 1,189 m elev."

Common Names

Lao Crocodile Newt (Stuart, Seateun, Sivongxay, and Phimmachak, 2025 "2024", in Wildlife Lao PDR: 21). 

Luang Prabang Corcodile [sic] Newt (Poyarkov, Nguyen, Popov, Geissler, Pawangkhanant, Neang, Suwannapoom, and Orlov, 2021, Russ. J. Herpetol., 28 (3A): 66). 

Luang Phabang Crocodile Newt (Raffaëlli, 2022, Salamanders & Newts of the World: 310). 

Distribution

Luang Phabang, Xieng Khouang, and Huaphanh Provinces, Laos, from 1189–1500 m elevation; likely extending in Nghe An Province, Vietnam.  

Geographic Occurrence

Natural Resident: Laos

Likely/Controversially Present: Vietnam

Comment

Previously confused with Tylototriton shanjing and Tylototriton verrucosus, neither of which occurs in Laos with the naming of Tylototriton podichthysBernardes, Le, Nguyen, Pham, Pham, Nguyen, Rödder, Bonkowski, and Ziegler, 2020, ZooKeys, 935: 121–164, provided a range map. In the Tylototriton (Tylototritonverrucosus species group of Poyarkov, Nguyen, and Arkhipov, 2021, Taprobanica, 10: 4–22, who discussed phylogenetics. In the Tylototriton verrucosus group of Lyu, Wang, Zeng, Zhou, Qi, Wan, Li, and Wang, 2021, Vert. Zool., Senckenberg, 71: 697–710, who discussed phylogenetics. Raffaëlli, 2022, Salamanders & Newts of the World: 310–311, provided an account, summarizing systematics, life history, population status, and distribution (including a polygon map). Stuart, Seateun, Sivongxay, and Phimmachak, 2025 "2024", in Wildlife Lao PDR: 21, briefly summarized literature, taxonomy, habitat, and range for Laos,  and noted that Laotian records of Tylototriton shanjing by Nishikawa, Khonsue, Pomchote, and Matsui, 2013, Zootaxa, 3737: 261–279) and those of Tylototriton verrucosus by Teynié, Nguyen, Lorvelec, Piquet, Lottier, and David, 2014, Bull. Soc. Herpetol. France, 151: 451–490, and Le, Nguyen, Nishikawa, Nguyen, Pham, Matsui, Bernardes, and Nguyen, 2015, Curr. Herpetol., Kyoto, 34: 38–50, from Xam-Nua District, Houaphan Province, and those of of Tylototriton shanjing from Kham District, Xiangkhouang Province (Sparreboom, 2014, Salamanders Old World), refer to this species. 

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