Vol. 21 No. 1 (2026)
Articles

North of the wall: First record of Salamandra atra aurorae in the Sella Valley, South-eastern Alps

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  • Luca Roner,
  • Emma Centomo,
  • Giulia Bombieri,
  • Andrea Costa,
  • Matilde Marconi,
  • Marco Salvatori,
  • Luigi Dellagiacoma,
  • Antonio Romano
Luca Roner
Department of Organisms and Systems Biology, Ecology Unit, University of Oviedo, C/ Valentín Andrés Álvarez s/n, 33006 Oviedo, Spain
Emma Centomo
Research and Museum Collection Office, Conservation Biology Unit, MUSE - Science Museum, Corso del Lavoro e della Scienza 3, 38122 Trento, Italy
Giulia Bombieri
Research and Museum Collection Office, Conservation Biology Unit, MUSE - Science Museum, Corso del Lavoro e della Scienza 3, 38122 Trento, Italy
Andrea Costa
Department of Earth, Environment and Life Sciences (DISTAV), University of Genova, Corso Europa 26, 16132 Genova, Italy
Matilde Marconi
Department of Biology, University of Florence, Via Madonna del Piano 6, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
Marco Salvatori
Department of Biology, University of Florence, Via Madonna del Piano 6, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
Luigi Dellagiacoma
Associazione Cacciatori Trentini (ACT), Via Guardini 41, 38100 Trento, Italy
Antonio Romano
Research and Museum Collection Office, Conservation Biology Unit, MUSE - Science Museum, Corso del Lavoro e della Scienza 3, 38122 Trento, Italy
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/a_h-19462

Published 2026-03-12

Keywords

  • Golden Alpine Salamander,
  • Endangered species,
  • Endemic taxon,
  • Distribution,
  • Climate niche,
  • Amphibian conservation
    • ...More
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How to Cite

Roner, L., Centomo, E., Bombieri, G., Costa, A., Marconi, M., Salvatori, M., Dellagiacoma, L., & Romano, A. (2026). North of the wall: First record of Salamandra atra aurorae in the Sella Valley, South-eastern Alps. Acta Herpetologica, 21(1), 107–112. https://doi.org/10.36253/a_h-19462

Copyright (c) 2026 Luca Roner, Emma Centomo, Giulia Bombieri, Andrea Costa, Matilde Marconi, Marco Salvatori, Luigi Dallagiacoma, Antonio Romano

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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Abstract

Salamandra atra aurorae is a rare and elusive subspecies endemic to a small area of the southeastern Italian Prealps, typically inhabiting mature mixed forests between 1200 and 1800 m a.s.l. Its detection is challenging due to cryptic behavior and dependence on favorable weather. Since its first record in Trentino in 2008, no new localities had been reported. In summer 2025, following a citizen report, field surveys confirmed a new occurrence in the Sella Valley, extending the known range of S. a. aurorae in Trentino. Two individuals were found at 1825 m and 1395 m a.s.l. New sites represent novel habitats for the subspecies: the uppermost on rocky scree and the lowest in a NNE-facing forest, both deviating from known preferences. Climatic niche analysis showed that these sites lie at the edge of the previously known climatic range, suggesting broader ecological tolerance. The detection of a gravid female at the forest site indicates the presence of a reproductive population, excluding animals in dispersal. The substantial topographical barriers separating the new sites from previously known localities suggest possible long-term isolation; however, the existence of narrow or discontinuous ecological corridors cannot be excluded. This discovery could have important conservation implications, as the detected individuals might be genetically distinct, warranting further genetic and phylogeographic studies. These findings highlight the need for targeted surveys and updated management strategies to protect this vulnerable taxon.

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