New Crocodile Newt Species Discovered at Doi Soi Malai by Chulalongkorn University Biologists, Published in Q1 International Journal 

A research team from the Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, led by Associate Professor Dr. Porrawee Pomchote and Associate Professor Dr. Wichase Khonsue, in collaboration with researchers from the Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, the Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies at Kyoto University in Japan, other institutions, and the head of the Mae Tuen Wildlife Sanctuary from the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, have discovered and named a new species of crocodile newt from Doi Soi Malai, located in the Mae Tuen Wildlife Sanctuary, Tak Province, in northwestern Thailand. The discovery of this new species has been published in the Q1 international journal ZooKeys (ZooKeys 1215: 185–208).
https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1215.116624

Back in 2015, news broke about the sighting of a crocodile newt at the peak of Doi Soi Malai, prompting the research team led by Associate Professor Dr. Porrawee Pomchote and Associate Professor Dr. Wichase Khonsue to embark on a years-long quest to study this species. Finally, on August 31, 2022, after years of searching, the research team explored the natural study trail on the peak of Doi Soi Malai, located at an elevation of 1,500 meters above sea level, and discovered both adult and juvenile crocodile newts in a roadside pool. This newly identified species has been named “Doi Soi Malai Newt,” with the scientific name Tylototriton soimalai to honor the location of its discovery. 

The Doi Soi Malai newt exhibits morphological characteristics that distinguish it from other species in the Tylototriton genus. It has a head that is longer than it is wide, with a blunt or squared-off snout, narrow and short central cranial ridges, and prominent lateral cranial ridges that are rough. There are also clearly visible poison glands behind its eyes, along with a prominent, wide, undivided vertebral ridge. It has 14-16 poison glands along its body, which are rounded and separate, except for the portion on the back that connects. Its body is predominantly black, while other parts are orange. Molecular analysis of the NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 (ND2) gene in its mitochondria shows that the Doi Soi Malai newt is a distinct species, closely related to the Northern Crocodile Newt (T. uyenoi), with a genetic sequence divergence of 4.1%. 

Currently, the location of the discovery of the Doi Soi Malai newt is limited to the peak of Doi Soi Malai, with no sightings reported from other areas. Therefore, it is crucial to conserve and protect this area from human disturbances, especially during the breeding season when the newts inhabit roadside pools to reproduce and for their larvae to grow until they reach adulthood. 

Facts About Crocodile Newts: 

Crocodile newts, a type of amphibian closely related to frogs, toads, and other amphibians, have long, slender bodies with both front and hind limbs, a long tail, and round heads. They have rough, relatively dry skin, with rows of bumps along their sides. They lay eggs with jelly-like shells, and their larvae develop in water, possessing gill tufts on both sides of their heads, which gradually disappear as they transition to the juvenile and adult stages, where they then live on land.  

References: 

Pomchote P, Peerachidacho P, Khonsue W, Sapewisut P, Hernandez A, Phalaraksh C, Siriput P, Nishikawa K. 2024. The seventh species of the newt genus Tylototriton in Thailand: a new species (Urodela, Salamandridae) from Tak Province, northwestern Thailand.  

ZooKeys 1215: 185–208. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1215.116624) 

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