Golden thorius

Description

Thorius aureus,the golden thorius,is a species of salamander in the genus Thorius,the Mexican pigmy salamanders,part of the lungless salamander family.It is endemic to mountainous areas of north central Oaxaca State in Mexico.It is one of the largest Thorius species.Thorius aureus is a slender salamander with a narrow head and long tail.However,among Thorius it counts as a large and robust species,with males measuring 21.1–29.3 mm (0.83–1.15 in) and females 22.6–34.9 mm (0.89–1.37 in) in snout–vent length.The tail is relatively long and can be up to 1.16 times the snout–vent length in males.It grows to a total length of about 57 millimetres (2.2 in) and is one of the largest species in the genus.Females have a rounded snout but this is more pointed in males.The eyes are protuberant and the nasolabial grooves distinct.The nostrils are small and oval and the upper jaw contains teeth (these are absent in many other members of the genus.The limbs are short with slender hands and feet.The digits are partially fused but are free at the tips.The dorsal surface is light brown and there is a distinctive broad golden stripe running along the spine,widest on the head and back and narrower at the shoulders.There are several brown chevron-shaped markings on the stripe.