Midland Mud Salamander Pseudotriton diastictus  Bishop, 1941

Taxonomic Comments:

Collins (1991 Herpetological Review 22(2): 42-43), in a peer-reviewed article, recommended that this previously defined, diagnosed, and allopatric taxon be recognized as a distinct species, a more conservative taxonomy than that in previous use. Collins (1997 Herpetological Circular 25: 1-40) presented this proposed change to his salamander systematist group, composed of David A. Good, Richard Highton, David M. Sever, H. Bradley Shaffer, Stephen G. Tilley, Tom A. Titus, David B. Wake, and Addison H. Wynn, and the majority of those individuals responding recommended that diastictus be so recognized. Collins (1997) followed that recommendation. Powell, Collins and Hooper (1998 A Key to the Amphibians and Reptiles of the Continental United States and Canada. University Press of Kansas, Lawremce. vi + 131 pp.) recognized this evolutionary lineage as a distinct species. Duellman and Sweet (1999 pages 31-109 In Duellman, W. E. (editor), Patterns of Distribution of Amphibians. A Global Perspective. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore. viii + 633 pp.) recognized P. diastictus as a distinct species, as proposed by Collins (1991 Herpetological Review 22(2): 42-43).