Summary Conservation Action Plans for Mongolian Reptiles and ...

SUMMARY CONSERVATION ACTION PLANS
VULNERABLE
Salamandrella keyserlingii
Dybowski, 1870
Order: Caudata
Family: Hynobiidae
Common names: Siberian salamander,
Siberian newt or Dybowski’s salamander
(English) (Frank and Ramus, 1996); Shiver
gulmer (Mongolian)
Subspecies in Mongolia: No subspecies are
currently recognised (Kuzmin, 1999; Frost,
2007)
Synonyms: Hynobius keyserlingii Boulenger, 1910 (specifi c to Mongolia); Hynobius michnoi
Nikolskii, 1925 (specifi c to Russia and northern Mongolia) (information from Gumilevskii,
1932); Isodactylium schrenckii Strauch, 1870
Taxonomic notes: Recently sibling species were described from Far Eastern Russia. Despite
a lack of morphological differences, molecular evidence indicates they are distinct species
(L. Borkin, pers. comm.). Salamandrella and Hynobius genuses are from one line of the
phylogenetic tree and are therefore closely related (Frost, 1985). This species has a wide
distribution, however it is diffi cult to determine how many subspecies are present in Mongolia,
due to a lack of geographical evolution studies. The fi rst discovery of this species was very
close to the Russian-Mongolian border, so this species may be represented by a nominative
subspecies in Mongolia (Borkin et al., 1988).
Description
During a study in Shaamar, along the Orkhon river, nine individuals were captured and their
dimensions measured. It was found that females are similar to males in total length and body
mass, with the average female measurements being 54.35-66.84mm (61.53±5.92) and 3.50-
6.55g (5.14±1.27) compared to males which are 51.80-68.17mm (62.28±5.09) and 3.35-7.80g
(5.99±1.37) (Khongorzul et al., 2006). More detailed body measurements include: Snout-vent
length 52.88mm±1.39mm (67.60mm±3.20mm in females); tail length 38.97mm±1.52mm
(55.34mm±3.28mm in females); head width 7.83mm±0.25mm (10.18mm±0.47mm in females);
body width 9.3mm±0.21mm (13.46mm±0.97mm in females); forelimbs 11.23mm±0.45mm
(13mm±0.3mm in females) and hindlimbs 12.90mm±0.27mm (15.6mm±0.48mm in females)
(Chashchukhin and Skopin, 2000). The post metamorphosis size is 25-26 mm (Borkin and
Kuzmin, 1988). At maturity males reach 50-57 mm and females reach 44-68 mm (Hasumi
et al., 2004). The species has well developed limbs with four toes on each foot and no claws.
The front legs are always smaller than the hind legs. Vomerine teeth are present in a V-shaped
series (Terbish et al., 2006). The tail is compressed laterally and may be slightly shorter than,
equal to, or longer than the length of the head and body.
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Photograph courtesy of Kh. Terbish