Alpine Salamander

Salamandra atra

Today is Mother's Day, so I thought it might be appropriate to talk about an animal that has one of the longest gestational periods on the planet. Nope, it's not a large mammal like a Giraffe, Whale, or Elephant-- it's a 5in long Amphibian!

Alpine Salamanders live at very high altitudes in the European Alps. That altitude is actually what helps to determine how long they will be pregnant for. The higher up they live, the longer the gestational period. At around 1,700m up it can last as long as three years.

That is particularly amazing considering they only have a 10 year lifespan at best. Also amazing? These Salamanders give birth to live young (ovoviviparous) and at birth their two offspring can each measure 2in long. Mom might only be 5in herself! Talk about big babies!

Alpine Salamanders are completely terrestrial, unlike many of their family members. They range in color from all black to various degrees of yellow spots, depending on the subspecies.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : Europe
Size : Length up to 5.5in (14cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Amphibia -- Order : Caudata
Family : Salamandridae -- Genus : Salamandra -- Species : S. atra
Image : bohringer friedrich

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Hong Kong Newt

Paramesotriton hongkongensis

Hong Kong Newts are the only Salamanders found within the territory Hong Kong, though they can also be found in a few other parts of the surrounding area. They can be found in and around slow flowing streams and pools that have sufficient pebble coverage for hiding. Hong Kong Newts do not hibernate  and can be spotted year round.

You can identify these smallish Amphibains by their brown, warty bodies and vibrant orange-spotted undersides. Those bellies are used as a warning to drive predators away. They themselves feed on worms, crustaceans, tadpoles, insects, and small fish.

As with most Amphibians, Hong Kong Newts go through a metamorphosis as they grow. Their tadpole stage has black skin and pink gills, and they have spotted stomachs, but those are yellow instead of orange. The Larvae hatch at around 14mm, and reach their final transitional stage at around 40-44mm. It can take as long as 3 years to reach full sexual maturity.

The major threat facing the Hong Kong Newt is collection for the pet trade. The population is protected in Hong Kong, but is on the decline. Luckily they are able to be bred in captivity, so they aren't in major danger of going extinct just just. They do very well in captive environments, and are said to be quite hardy as adults.

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IUCN Status : Near Threatened

Location : Hong Kong
Size : Body Length up to 15cm

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Lissamphibia -- Order : Caudata
Family : Salamandridae -- Genus : Paramesotriton -- Species : P. hongkongensis

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Two-toed Amphiuma

Amphiuma means

The Two-toed Amphiuma is actually one of the longest Salamanders in the world, and the longest in the United States, capable of reaching lengths of 3-4ft! You can find these long, eel-like Amphibians in the slow moving, often stagnant waters of the southeastern parts of the country. Though they are sometimes referred to as "Conger Eels" or "Congo Snakes," they are still Amphibians.

The species gets its common name from their odd little feet. They have four tiny little vestigial legs, each one ending in two toes. These legs are pretty much useless, which is good, cause they don't particularly need them for anything. Two-toed Amphiumas are almost exclusively aquatic.

Their underwater lifestyle explains their tiny legs, their long bodies, lidded eyes (as juveniles), and their incredibly slippy skin. Curiously though, they have no external gills as adults, and they posses fully formed lungs!

If you see one of these interesting Amphibians, leave it alone! Though not venomous, they have really nasty bites if handled incorrectly.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : Southeast United States
Size :  Length up to 4ft (1.2m)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Amphibia -- Order : Caudata
Family : Amphiumidae -- Genus : Amphiuma -- Species : A. means

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Eastern Tiger Salamander

Ambystoma tigrinum

The Eastern Tiger Salamandar is the largest land-dwelling Salamander is all of North America, and it also has the distinction of being the most widespread. You'll find these guys just about everywhere on the continent except in the coldest northern reaches-- they live throughout the United States, Mexico, and in most of Canada.

You can identify Eastern Tiger Salamanders by their large size and their blotchy green and black markings. As adults they are almost completely terrestrial, and live in burrows that can be as far as two feet underground. They live in a huge range of habitats, including forests, grasslands, and developed areas.

Adults are very loyal to their birthplace, and will return to that spot to breed int eh Spring. Larges numbers will congregate on a single spots, and males will have to isolate the females from the group in order to breed. Males will deposit spermatophores that are picked up by the females to fertilize the eggs. Sometimes other males will actually interrupt this process, deposing the first male on the scene and then placing his own spermatophores. Once the eggs are fertilized, they are laid in masses that number up to 100. The young Salamanders are completely aquatic, but grow very fast-- by the end of summer they have already become adults.

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IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : North America
Size : Length up to 14in (36cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata --Class : Amphibia -- Order : Caudata
Family : Ambystomatidae -- Genus : Ambystoma -- Species : A. tigrinum

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Pyrenean Brook Salamander

Calotriton asper

As the name suggests, the Pyrenean Brook Salamander (sometimes called the Pyrenean Newt) is endemic to Europe's Pyrenean Mountains. They live in clear, oxygen-rich mountain streams and lakes, and live at a variety of altitudes ranging from around 175m to 2900m. The species can be identified by its squarish head and warty skin.

Pyrenean Brook Salamanders live most of their lives in the water, though they do have very flattened bodies and heads that allow them to hide under rocks at the waters' edge. Mating takes place after waking up from hibernation, and the eggs are laid underwater.

The length of the larval stage depends a lot on the altitude in which the Salamanders are living. The stage last around 14 months for those at lower altitudes, but can take as long as two years for those higher up on the mountain. Pyrenean Brook Salamanders can live as long as 20 years.

The species is still relatively safe overall, due to their large range. However, some local populations are becoming scarce and even extinct, due to habitat loss from damming, development, and pollution.

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IUCN Status : Near Threatened
Location : France and Spain
Size : Length up to 5.5in (14cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Amphibia -- Order : Caudata
Family : Salamandridae -- Genus : Calotriton -- Species : C. asper

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Eastern Newt

Notophthalmus viridescens

Eastern Newts can be found in the Eastern United States, where they have a range that spans all the way from southern Canada down to Texas. They live in fresh bodies of water, typically near forest areas.

Eastern Newts go through some pretty interesting life phases. Adults will mate on land during the early spring, and the female will lay up to 400 eggs a season, one at a time,  in the water. The eggs are attached to aquatic plants, and will hatch in anywhere from 3 to 8 weeks, depending on the temperature.

Larval Newts look just like their adult selves, only much much smaller. They measure only about 7mm long! The larvae spend their summer eating as many little invertebrates as they can. When late summer comes around they metamorphose into their Juvenile or "Eft" form.

Eft Phase

Efts look different from the adults and larvae. For one, they completely lose their gills in favor of a set of lungs. They also have thinner, less powerful tails. Efts live on land for two to four years and feed on terrestrial invertebrates like snails and springtails. They hibernate under logs and rocks during the winter. Eventually they will grow large, flattened tails and return to the water as adults.

Thanks to those tails, adult Eastern Newts are very powerful swimmers. They remain in water for the rest of their lifetimes, and will feed on just about any invertebrate that they can catch. If they make it past the high mortality larval and eft phases, Eastern Newts can live up to 15 years!

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IUCN Status : Least Concern

Location : Eastern North America

Size : Length 5in (12.5cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Amphibia -- Order : Caudata
Family : Salamandridae -- Genus : Notophthalmus -- Species : N. viridescens

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Danube Crested Newt

Triturus dobrogicus

As the name might suggest, the Danube Crested Newt can be found near the Danube River in Europe. They can be found in a huge range of temperate habitats, ranging from rivers and ponds to forests and scrublands.

Slender bodies and smaller heads set the Danube Crested Newt apart from other members of its genus. The species is sexually dimorphic, with males having higher crests that extend on to their heads.

Breeding takes place every spring, and eggs are typically laid in ponds or other areas of still water. After metamorphosis, most adults will leave the water for a life on land, but some will remain in water year round.

The Danube Crested Newt is listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN. Their numbers are declining due to habitat destruction and pollution of waterways. Because this species is able to breed with other Newts within their genus, hybridization has also been a cause for decline.

Danube Crested Newts are kept in captivity, and are said to be hardy and easy to maintain.

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IUCN Status : Near Threatened

Location : Europe

Size : Body length 7in (18cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Amphibia -- Order : Caudata
Family : Salamandridae -- Genus : Triturus -- Species : T. dobrogicus

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Chinese Giant Salamander

Chinese Giant Salamander

Phylum : Chordata
Class : Amphibia
Order : Caudata
Family : Cryptobranchidae
Genus : Andrias
Species : davidianus

Length : 40in (1m)
Weight : 25lb (11kg)

IUCN Status : Critically Endangered

The Chinese Giant Salamander is the largest Salamander species in the entire world. Individuals measuring 6ft (1.8m) have been recorded, though most specemins today around only around 3ft (.9m).

Chinese Giant Salamanders are found in the mountain streams of China, but due to habitat loss, harvesting for food and the pet trade, and the introduction of pesticides, these gigantic amphibians are fragmented in their population and are near extinction. They have been bred in captivity, but very few are actually kept in zoos around the world.

Chinese Giant Salamanders are most active during the night time, when they come out to hunt and feed on fish, small vertebrates, and various types of invertebrate species. They hunt primarily by smell and touch.

During the fall breeding season dozens, if not hundreds of Salamanders congregate and fight over breeding cavities. Females enter these lairs and lay up to 500 eggs, which are then guarded by the male until they hatch about two months later. A newly hatched Chinese Giant Salamander is only 1.2in (3cm) long!

Chinese Giant Salamanders are a long-lived species, and captive individuals have lived over 50 years.

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Olm

(Image Source)

Olms are absolutely fascinating creatures with some amazing adaptations for the environment that they live in. You see, they are the only cave dwelling vertebrates found exclusively in Europe, and are found in parts of Slovenia, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Olms are members of a very ancient line of amphibians that diverged from its nearest living relatives during the Jurassic period over 190 million years ago! There are currently six living species in this line, including Mudpuppies.

As mentioned, Olms live in caves, exclusively underwater. Because they live in light-less environments, they lack most pigmentation in their skin, and they have essentially lost their sense of sight (their eyes are actually covered with skin and serve only as basic light sensors). To make up for the darkness, Olms have developed their other senses to an amazing degree. They are able to sense other organisms in the water using a chemical receptor in their taste buds. They are also able to detect different vibrations and sound waves, and even have a sensory organ that lets them register weak electric fields.

Olms have a few more relatively unique characteristics. One is that they remain suspended in a larval state for their entire lives. They retain large gills and a tail fin. The Olm also has a remarkably long lifespan for an amphibian. They might not reach sexual maturity until the age of 15, and individuals have reached 70 or older. They also reproduce externally, and the mother guards her eggs until hatching. The eggs are extremely dependent on the water temperature, and there is one hypothesis that females will hatch their eggs internally if the water is too cold.

Olms are extremely vulnerable to climate change, as their watery underground habitats are directly affected by what is going on on the surface. They are listed by IUCN as endangered.

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Mudpuppy

Mudpuppies are among the largest of all Salamanders, and can grow to about 14in in length. They can be found throughout the Eastern United States and Canada, and are completely aquatic. They prefer shallow lakes and streams, though specimens have been found at depths of 100 feet. Mudpuppies spend most of the day hiding under rocks and vegetation. They are carnivorous and feed at night off of insects, crustaceans, small fish, and snails.

Image Source

Necturus maculosus is identified by their brown spotted bodies and bright red gills. It is an interesting species of Amphibian because gills are their one and only method of breathing, unlike many other species of salamander which develop lungs during their metamorphosis. Another pretty unique trait is that Mudpuppies guard their eggs, rather than lay them an abandon them. It takes up to 5 week for eggs to hatch after being laid. Mudpuppies have a lifespan of around twenty years and don't even reach sexual maturity until about five or six.

Mudpuppies are not a threatened species, but habitat loss and pollution has affected some localized populations.

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Marbled Salamander

I was given a suggestion to write an article about a salamander. Not a specific salamander, just one of the 500 different species. So I chose this guy! Marbled Salamanders (Ambystoma opacum) are found throughout the Eastern United States, though you won't spot them too often. They are part of the genus Ambystoma, which is commonly known as the mole salamanders. They are nocturnal and spend most of their time hiding underneath things, hence the name. Marbled Salamanders can be spotted during their breeding season, when they take part in some interesting activities.

Image from Reio

What are these activities? Well, the Marbled Salamander is pretty unique in that it doesn't actually lay its eggs underwater. After the males and females mate in the fall, the males disappear off into the wilderness while the females go and find a suitable location to lay her eggs. This area may be a tree, a ditch, anything... just as long as it will eventually be covered with water. She lays her eggs there and guards over them, also a bit unusual for a salamander. When the rain comes, her eggs become submerged and then hatch. If they don't come... then they remain dormant and hatch during the spring wet season. After hatching the young salamanders grow rapidly, sometimes reaching metamorphosis after only a few months.

The Marbled Salamander is named because of the silvery bands that form patterns on their otherwise black bodies. They have long tails that comprise up to 40% of their body length, and they grow to be about 4inches long as adults. They have big appetites and consume (among other things) insects, worms and snails. Marbled Salamander have quite a few predators of their own, and in some local areas their habitats are being threatened by humans. Overall though, they are listed as being of Least Concern due to their wide range and overall stable population trend.

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Axolotl

Pronounced Axe-oh-lot-ul, this salamander is native to only one small are of Mexico, Lake Xochimilco. Axolotl's differentiate themselves from other salamanders in that they retain their tadpole-like characteristics throughout their entire lives, specifically the external gills and tail.

Axolotl's are almost extinct in the wild, because, like the previously featured Texas Blind Salamander, their habitat is being threatened. Due to their natural homes being right next to Mexico City, the 2nd most populated city in the world, their watery homes are being used up and polluted. Interestingly though, they are used extensively for scientific research, and are kept as pets in multiple countries, ensuring that the species won't ever become truly extinct for a very long time, if ever.

Image from Wikimedia Commons

Now, just why exactly are Axolotls being used for research? Because they can completely regrow their limbs! Unlike most creatures, who just have to deal with an arm being chomped off, the Axolotl can completely regrow it over time. They are also able to easily retrieve transplants from other specimens and receive full functionality from them. There is also documentation of them regrowing their vital organs, brain segments and spinal chord.

Also previously mentioned was their existence as household pets. I am no expert on their captivity requirements, so I'll just redirect to curious to Axolotl.org, which seems to know what they are talking about.

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Texas Blind Salamander

The Texas Blind Salamander lives in only one location in the entire world. Guess where. Texas! Specifically the Edwards Plateau region, (#30 on the map) and more specifically then that, in an aquifer under San Marcos. They require a very clean supply of water, which is being threatened by city growth and pollution. As such, they are listed as vulnerable on the IUCN red list, and the number of specimens in the wild is unknown.

The Texas Blind Salamander lives underground in its aquifer, and as such has evolved to the point of not really needing eyes or skin pigmentation. Those evolved traits are found in many other cave dwelling creatures as well. They obviously live in water, and have large sets of red gills on the sides of their head in order to draw oxygen from it. They grow up to 5 inches in length. Overall they are considered to be the most advanced troglobitic (cave dwelling) species of salamander known. They do not have a set breeding season, as evidenced by observations of young year round, and they feed on tiny blind crustaceans, snails and insects that themselves live off the nutrients in bat droppings. Not much else is known about them because of their underwater, underground habitat, and they are only ever found on the surface when the water pushes them up there.


image from the us fish and wildlife service

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