Paghman Mountain Salamander

This salamander has 14 costal groves. Vomerine teeth in two small, arched, transverse rows between the choanae, nearly touching at the midline. Snout broadly rounded; interorbital distance 1.2 times the internasal distance. Limbs well-developed; digits overlapped when adpressed; 4 fingers and 4 toes. Tips of the digits covered with a brown horny epidermis not extending onto the soles and palms. The caudal fin fold begins posterior to hind legs, is highest about 2/3 of the way back. Tail slightly shorter than body. Coloration dark olive-brown to yellowish olive, indistinctly speckled with tiny pigmented dots. The belly is lighter, with fewer dots.When the situation in Afghanistan permits any conservation programs to begin, this species deserves immediate and efficient measures for protection.

Paghman Mountains of the Hindu Kush system, Paghman County, Afghanistan.The salamander inhabits cool highland streams fed by glaciers. There, the adults occur under rocks in fast-running water, whereas larvae live in deeper and quieter pools, commonly under floating beds of watercress and duckweed. Algae cover most of submerged rocks in the streams. The water temperature in summer varies within 0-14oC. These salamanders were not found in waters above 14o. In contrast to historic observations, the individuals were not common between 2750-3050 m above sea level in 1970s but were only found above these altitudes.

The salamander is active probably throughout the year because of relatively constant flow of water in the inhabited streams. The high temperature of water may be very important limiting factor of local distribution of this species. The salamanders are completely aquatic. The clutch contains about 30-40 eggs. It is attached onto rock surface in the brook. Only two egg sacs were found in nature (on 6 March 1978). In all probability, larvae overwinter (may be, several times); metamorphosis is known to be in the spring. The larvae and adults prey mainly upon aquatic invertebrates (Gammaridae, as well as larval Trichoptera, Diptera, Coleoptera etc.).

The species has a very narrow distribution and ecological niche. Agricultural cultivation of lands near the salamander's brooks and use of water for irrigation drastically change the habitat and lead to shallower depths and increased water temperature. In addition, physical disturbance of the streams comes from pedestrian and animal traffic (sheep, goats, donkeys, horses and camels) in and along streams. The salamanders do not occur in areas of the stream directly affected by irrigation and traffic. Evidence of a more extensive range is indicated in the original species description (Smith, 1940). The collector, Mr. Chaworth-Musters, reported that the salamander was fairly common between the altitudes 2750-3050 m, but observations made in 1977 and 1978 by S.M. Reilly revealed that the species is not very common at those altitudes, but is found higher. In general, the species seems to be highly endangered and virtually unprotected, and its current status may be only supposed due to continuing civil war and other military activities in Afghanistan.

See above.

The Ghorat-Hazarajat alpine meadow is a large ecoregion of Afghanistan comprising approximately 25,700 square miles in land area. This ecoregion is classified in the Montane Grasslands and Shrublands biome. Vegetation at the higher altitudes is necessarily hardy, having to combat alternatively frost and drought. The Critically Endangered Paghman Mountain salamander (Paradactylodon mustersi) is endemic to this ecoregion; moreover, its total population is estimated to no more than 2000 individuals. The survival of the salamanderis threatened by ongoing stream diversions, since the aquatic habitat of this taxon is restricted to a very small area of specialized coldwater habitat.

The Ghorat-Hazarajat alpine meadow is situated within Afghanistan's central highlands, being comprised of both high alpine meadow and steppe, as well as desert and lacustrine shoreline habitat. Vegetation at the higher altitudes of the ecoregion is hardy, having to combat alternatively frost and drought. At lower elevations, some portions are flooded with spring snowmelt. Areas that do not receive snowmelt runoff, and are alos of scant precipitation usually manifest scrub cover. The southernmost portion of the Ghorat-Hazarajat alpine meadow ecoregion lies in the high mountains, representing the northern portion of the Zabul Province; there the habitat is characterized by meadows, willows and certain buckthorn taxa.

There are a total of 190 recorded vertebrate species within the Ghorat-Hazarajat alpine meadow ecoregion. Native non-endemic special status mammals of the ecoregion are: the Near Threatened argali (Ovis ammon), the Vulnerable Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus), the Near Threatened Euphrates jerboa (Allactaga euphratica), the Near Threatened European otter (Lutra lutra), the Vulnerable goitered gazelle (Gazella subguttarosa), the Near Threatened leopard (Panthera pardus), the Vulnerable marbled polecat (Vormela peregusna), the Near Threatened Screiber's long-fingered bat (Miniopterus schreibersii), the Endangered snow leopard (Panthera uncia) and the Near Threatened striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena).

Paradactylodon mustersi is a species of salamander endemic to Afghanistan. It is also known as the Afghanistan brook salamander, Paghman Mountain Salamander, Afghan brook salamander, Afghanistan mountain salamander, Paghman mountain salamander, and Paghman stream salamander. It inhabits cool highland streams. The total population is estimated at 1,000–2,000 adults. It is only found in an area of 10 km2.

P. mustersi is known to reside in the Paghman Mountains in Afghanistan, where it lives in fast-running waters (the adults and the eggs or larvae in calmer, deeper water) which are formed from melting glaciers. Currently, it can only be found in cold water: it has only been found in water ranging from 0 to 14 °C.

The males are larger than the females, with the largest about 18 cm in length. They are not very similar to other salamander species in many respects. They may look similar to salamander species, but unlike many others, the Paghman stream salamander can feed in water, they are found under rocks in the fast running water, and even catch prey on land. They have long tongues which they use to catch prey, and the adults prefer to catch prey larger than their own size.

The current population is unknown at this time, but older estimates numbered the salamanders from 1000 to 2000; quite possibly the numbers have gone down since the time of this count. They are expected to be found in the southern slopes of the Hindu Kush near Afghanistan. The population is declining due to the invasion of humans on their land. Irrigation systems disturb the salamanders' habitat. The more the land is being used by humans, the worse it gets for the Paghman stream salamander. To remain a part of Afghanistan's ecosystem, its habitat needs to be conserved.