New species named for retired WCU professor Bruce
Tuesday, July 7th, 2009
Patch-nosed Salamander. Photo courtesy Bill Peterman/Univ. of Georgia
The newly discovered salamander, which is the second-smallest salamander species in the U.S. and one of the smallest in the world at just two inches long, is now under study by a diverse group of researchers from several U.S. colleges. The team is searching for more of the salamanders, which are detailed in a new paper appearing in the Journal of Zoology.
The formal Latin name is Urspelerpes brucei for Richard Bruce, professor emeritus at Western Carolina University and a well-respected, longtime salamander researcher who has connections to many members of the research team.
Faculty members and graduate students from the University of Georgia, the University of Missouri, East Carolina University, Piedmont College and the University of California at Berkeley are involved.
The initial discovery was made in 2007 near Toccoa, GA, by a graduate student from Georgia, Joe Milanovich, and a grad student from Missouri, Bill Peterman. The students knew they’d found a species unique to the region, but it took some time to ascertain that it was indeed a new species.
An excerpt from a University of Georgia release:
“It is truly a once-in–a-lifetime opportunity to be involved in such a big find, particularly one right in our backyard,” Milanovich said. “The fact that it is such a unique animal makes it all the better and gives us more opportunity to continue to learn about the species. One of the best parts of being involved with this project is the collaboration that has come out of the species description, so I am excited to continue working with the other coauthors as we keep unpeeling the onion of U. brucei.”
The research team’s suggested common name is patch-nosed salamander, based on the lighter coloring on the tiny salamander’s nose. The formal Latin name is Urspelerpes brucei for Richard Bruce, professor emeritus at Western Carolina University and a well-respected, longtime salamander researcher who has connections to many members of the research team.
“Dr. Bruce has done much of the foundational work on stream salamander ecology in the region and on the evolution of miniaturization in salamanders, so naming this species after him is a good fit,” (Georgia’s John) Maerz said.
(Piedmont’s Carlos) Camp marveled at the find.
“This animal is so distinct that it belongs in its own genus, a taxonomic level used for grouping closely related species,” he said. “The real significance of this find is that it represents the first new genus of four-footed creature discovered in the United States in 50 years.”
