Salamanders
Salamanders are amphibians, although they may look lizard-like in appearance. Salamander species vary in size from under 3cm to about 180cm in length. No matter what their size, they need to stick to moist or wet environments, or they will dehydrate.
Family
Cryptobranchidae
Asian giant salamanders (genus)Hynobiidae
Siberian salamander (species)
Lungless salamanders (Plethodontidae)Lungless salamanders are the world's largest and most diverse family of salamanders. As their name suggests, none of them possess lungs.
Salamandridae
Great crested newt (species)
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About
Salamander is a common name of approximately 500 species of amphibians. They are typically characterized by their slender bodies, short noses, and long tails. All known fossils and extinct species fall under the order Caudata, while sometimes the extant species are grouped together as the Urodela. Most salamanders have four toes on their front legs and five on their rear legs. Their moist skin usually makes them reliant on habitats in or near water, or under some protection (e.g., moist ground), often in a wetland. Some salamander species are fully aquatic throughout life, some take to the water intermittently, and some are entirely terrestrial as adults. Uniquely among vertebrates, they are capable of regenerating lost limbs, as well as other body parts.
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Elsewhere on the web
- Caudata (animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu)
- Salamander (wikipedia.org)
Site links
BBC links
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