We describe a new species of salamander of the genus Bolitoglossa from the Cordillera de Talamanca in western Panama. The new species is distinct from its congeners by its dorsal and ventral coloration, finger and toe webbing, and a comparatively high maxillary teeth count in relation to SVL. Analysis of mitochondrial DNA sequences revealed an isolated phylogenetic position of the new species which is related to the B. robinsoni, B. subpalmata and B. epimela species groups, all four of which form a subclade within the subgenus Eladinea.
Panama has 229 species of amphibians and 280 species of reptiles, of which 72 (31.4%) are threatened according tonational legislation and 20 are endemic. The study area is of high ecological value and functions as a natural biologicalcorridor; however, it has very few sites that have been studied. For two years we sampled the area, registering 55 speciesof amphibians and 58 reptiles, including species with local conservation categories, new records of distribution, and anew species for science that will be described in a later work.
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