List of amphibians and reptiles of Cantabria
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The vertebrate fauna in Cantabria presents a wide diversity due to the variety of ecological niches existing in the region and its geographical position, equidistant between the Mediterranean region of the south of the peninsula and the nearby Atlantic Europe.
These lists include all the wild vertebrates living in Cantabria, classified according to the genus and family they belong to. In addition to the scientific name of each species, the common name in the Spanish language, the vernacular names most commonly used in this region, a brief description, a map of distribution in Spain and the conservation status are also included.
The herpetofauna of Cantabria is composed of a significant number of species. Some of them are Iberian endemisms, such as the Iberian painted frog, the Moller's tree frog, the Iberian frog, the gold-striped salamander, the Bedriaga's skink, the Iberian rock lizard, the Iberian emerald lizard and the Baskian viper, while others, such as the red-eared slider, the Italian wall lizard, the gecko or the Tenerife gecko are species introduced by people. Their distribution is variable; from species such as the common toad or the viperine snake, found throughout the region, to others such as the Italian wall lizard or the gold-striped salamander, which are very difficult to spot.
Amphibian
In Cantabria there are fifteen species of amphibians of the Anura and Caudata orders, all of them intimately linked to the aquatic environments: wetlands, mountain rivers, seasonal ponds, lakes, lagoons, lagoons, coastal lagoons, marshes, and others, where they spend all or part of their lives. The families represented are: Alytidae, Bufonidae, Hylidae, Pelodytidae, Ranidae and Salamandridae. Some of these species are widely distributed, such as the fire salamander, the alpine newt or the midwife toad, while others, such as the parsley frog or the Iberian frog, are very scarce or, in the case of the gold-striped salamander, practically non-existent.{{Harvp|Pleguezuelos|Márquez|Lizana|2002}}{{Cite journal |last=VV.AA. |date=2002 |title=Lista preliminar de los vertebrados continentales de Cantabria |url=http://www.locustella.org/revista/01/pdf/01_GR_01_vertebrados_continentales.pdf |journal=Locustella |language=Spanish |issue=2}}{{Cite journal |last=Simal Ajo |first=Roberto |last2=Fernández Aransay |first2=José Javier |title=Anfibios y reptiles de las Marismas de Santoña, Victoria y Joyel |url=http://www.locustella.org/revista/04/pdf/04_AB_01_anfibios_reptiles.pdf |journal=Locustella |language=Spanish |volume=IV |access-date=February 25, 2014}}{{Harvp|Pleguezuelos|Márquez|Lizana|2002|p=457-481|ps=«VII Análisis regional de la herpetofauna española»}}
In relation to conservation, amphibian populations in Cantabria, as in the rest of the world, are suffering a marked decline, mainly due to habitat loss, diseases and climate change.{{Cite journal |last=Price |first=Stephen J. |last2=Garner |first2=Trenton W. J. |last3=Nichols |first3=Richard A. |last4=Balloux |first4=François |last5=Ayres |first5=César |last6=Mora-Cabello de Alba |first6=Amparo |last7=Bosch |first7=Jaime |date=November 3, 2014 |title=Collapse of amphibian communities due to an introduced Ranavirus |url=http://www.cell.com/current-biology/pdfExtended/S0960-9822%2814%2901149-X |format=pdf |journal=Current Biology |issue=24 |pages=2586–2591 |access-date=September 13, 2015}}{{cite web |last=García Herrera |first=Alejandro |title=Herpetofauna. Anfibios y reptiles de Cantabria |url=http://proyectorios.medioambientecantabria.es/site/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_download&gid=22&Itemid=12 |format=pdf}}
= Anura order =
Anurans, commonly known as frogs and toads, are characterized (in their adult phase) by their compact body, lacking tails and possessing highly developed hind legs, adapted for jumping. Five families are found in Cantabria, comprising ten species.
= Caudata order =
Unlike anurans, the caudates have an elongated body with a tail, both in the larval and adult stages. This order is represented in the region by five species: Ichthyosaura alpestris, Chioglossa lusitanica, Lissotriton helveticus, Salamandra salamandra and Triturus marmoratus. Two of them, Ichthyosaura alpestris and Lissotriton helveticus, are only found in Spain, in the northern fringe.
Reptiles
Reptiles originated from amphibians in the Carboniferous period, being the first animals to possess well-developed lungs. They are characterized by a tough and generally scaly skin. In Cantabria there are two orders of reptiles: Testudines (turtles and chelonians) and Squamata (squamates), which group together twenty-seven different reptile species.
= Testudines Order =
Known as turtles or chelonians, the species of the order Testudines are characterized by a short, broad trunk and a carapace or shell that protects the internal organs of the body. The carapace has a head and front legs at the front and hind legs and a tail at the back.
| class="sortable wikitable" border="0" style="background:#ffffff" align="top"
! style="background:Linen; color:Black" width="100" |Species ! style="background:Linen; color:Black" width="150" |Common and vernacular name (VN) ! style="background:Linen; color:Black" width="80" |Distribution ! style="background:Linen; color:Black" width="500" |Description ! style="background:Linen; color:Black" width="50" |Status ! style="background:Linen; color:Black" width="100" |Image |
| colspan="6" style="background:#9BC4E2;" align="center" |Cheloniidae Oppel, 1811 |
| Caretta caretta
|Loggerhead sea turtle | |W: 65-107 kg L: 82-109 cm They have fins with two claws, large round head with a very thick beak. The carapace is smooth in adults and dark brown to orange-yellow in color. In juveniles it is dark brown and rougher. The back is a cream color. | |
| Lepidochelys kempii
|Kemp's ridley sea turtle | |W: 45 kg L: 61-91 cm Turtle with a greenish-gray carapace and a greenish-yellow and white breastplate. Like other sea turtles, it has a corneous beak. | |
| colspan="6" style="background:#9BC4E2;" align="center" |Dermochelyidae Fitzinger, 1843 |
| Dermochelys coriacea
|Leather back sea turtle | |L: up to 270 cm It is the largest of all turtles. Its carapace, smooth and dark, is formed by a smooth connective tissue delimited by a soft curve that gives a semi-cylindrical appearance to the animal. It has seven ridges running from head to tail. Front flippers are much longer than in all other turtles. Hook-shaped beak. | |
| colspan="6" style="background:#9BC4E2;" align="center" |Geoemydidae Theobald, 1868 |
| Mauremys leprosa
|Ibearian pond turtle |L: 15 (20) cm Carapace flattened, with the vertebral keel slightly prominent, green, brown or brown. Yellow plastron, sometimes with black spots. It has orange or reddish lines on the neck. |{{center|1={{IUCNCS|VU}}}} |
| colspan="6" style="background:#9BC4E2;" align="center" |Emydidae Rafinesque, 1815 |
| Trachemys scripta elegans
|Red-eared slider | |L: 12-20 (40) cm Green or brownish carapace and light yellow plastron. They have characteristic red or yellow spots at the back of the eyes. Females are slightly larger than males. | |
= Squamata order =
The Squamata order includes lizards, chameleons, iguanas, serpents and snakes among others. Evolutionarily, it is the most recent order of reptiles and the one that has achieved the greatest ecological success, due, among other qualities, to the presence of a kinetic skull that facilitates the swallowing of prey.{{Cite web |title=Sbclase Diapsida. O. Squamata |url=http://www.evopuzzles.es/397609636 |access-date=October 4, 2015 |website=Evopuzzles}} Twenty-two species are found in Cantabria, grouped into six families: Scincidae, Lacertidae, Gekkonidae, Anguidae, Colubridae and Viperidae. Some, such as the Iberian rock lizard (Iberolacerta monticola) or the Seoanei viper (Vipera seoanei) are endemic to the north of the peninsula, while others, such as the Italian wall lizard (Podarcis sicula), the common wall gecko (Tarentola mauritanica) or the Tenerife gecko (Tarentola delalandii), have been introduced by people.
References
Notes
Bibliography
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