A Striated Salamander has no lungs. It breathes through its skin. It has also been called a mushroom tongued salamander and a Cukra climbing salamander.
This salamander was found during the night in North Central Costa Rica. In a humid, cool, tropical forest near Arenal volcano. It must live in moist area’s to survive as it breathes through its skin via a gas exchange process. It has no lungs nor gills.
It resides in fallen banana leaves during the day
Salamanders can live for long periods of time. In Costa Rica, a similar species to the striated was known to have lived for 18 years. In captivity, salamanders live longer and reach sexual maturity much sooner than those in natural habitats.
A salamander can live for many years
Even though there are 16 species of the Bolitoglossa that live in Costa Rica many inhabit the area high in the forest canopy and are rarely seen. Salamanders don’t move very much and only do so at night. Their diet consists of small arthropods so they often let the food come to them. They will hide in bromeliads during the day and hang out near water sources after dark.
(Bolitoglossa striatula)
They breathe through their skin
The nose holes you see are used to pick up chemical cues from the surroundings. They are used in feeding, mating and to detect predators. Habitat loss is the biggest threat to this creature.
The books used in gathering this information are:
Savage – The Amphibians and Reptiles of Costa Rica – 2002
Leenders – A Guide to Amphibians and Reptiles of Costa Rica – 2001