Salamanders

Preface

Taxonomy and Systematics

Biology

Metamorphosis
The skin
Anti-predator behaviour
Colours, patterns and colour morphs
Thermoregulation
Diet
Reproduction
Natural habitats of tailed amphibians

Keeping salamanders and newts

Keeping in an aquarium
Keeping in a terrarium
What to look out for when making a purchase
Environmental conditions
Population density
Handling
The right diet

Reproduction

Sexing

Triggers for mating
Deposition and development of eggs
Development of the larvae
Metamorphosis
Raising freshly metamorphosed tailed amphibians
The right diet for terrestrial juveniles

Salamanders, laws and ethics

Amphibian decline and keeping salamanders – a contradiction?
Laws governing the keeping of newts and salamanders
Individual identification and marking

Diseases of salamanders and newts

How to recognise a sick tailed amphibian

Most common diseases

Medical care for diseased tailed amphibians

Species accounts of tailed amphibians (Urodela)

Salamanders and newts, Salamandridae
Calotriton asper (Pyrenean Newt)
Cynops cyanurus (Blue-tailed Fire-bellied Newt)
Cynops ensicauda (Sword-tailed Newt)
Cynops orientalis (Chinese Fire-bellied Newt)
Cynops pyrrhogaster (Japanese Fire-bellied Newt)
Euproctus platycephalus (Sardinian Newt)
Laotriton laoensis (Laos Warty Newt)
Lissotriton italicus (Italian Newt)
Lissotriton vulgaris (Smooth Newt)
Lyciasalamandra billae (Bille’s Salamander)
Mertensiella caucasica (Caucasian Salamander)
crocatus (Lake Urmia Newt)
Neurergus kaiseri (Luristan Newt)
Neurergus strauchii (Anatolia Newt)
Notophthalmus viridescens (Red-spotted Newt)
Ommatotriton ophryticus (Northern Banded Newt)
Ommatotriton vittatus (Southern Banded Newt)
Pachytriton sp. (Paddle-tailed Newt)
Paramesotriton chinensis (Chinese Warty Newt)
Pleurodeles waltl (Ribbed newt)
Salamandra atra, Salamandra lanzai (Alpine Salamanders)
Salamandra salamandra, Salamandra algira, Salamandra corsica, Salamandra infraimmaculata (Fire Salamanders)
Salamandrina perspicillata, Salamandrina terdigitata (Spectacled Salamanders)
Taricha granulosa (Rough-skinned Newt)
Triturus carnifex (Italian Crested Newt)
Triturus marmoratus (Northern Marbled Newt)
Tylototriton kweichowensis (Guizhou Knobby Newt)
Tylototriton shanjing (Yunnan Newt, Mandarin Salamander)
Tylototriton verrucosus (Himalayan Salamander, Crocodile Newt)
Tylototriton wenxianensis (Wenxian Knobby Newt))

Mole salamanders, Ambystomatidae

Ambystoma laterale (Blue-spotted Salamander)
Ambystoma macrodactylum (Long-toed Salamander)
Ambystoma maculatum (Spotted Salamander)
Ambystoma mavortium (Barred Tiger Salamander)
Ambystoma mexicanum (Axolotl)
Ambystoma opacum (Marbled Salamander)
Lungless salamanders, Plethodontidae
Aneides lugubris (Arboreal Salamander)
Bolitoglossa dofleini (Giant Palm Salamander, Doflein’s Salamander)
Bolitoglossa mexicana (Mexican Mushroomtongue Salamander)
Desmognathus fuscus (Northern Dusky Salamander)
Eurycea guttolineata (Three-lined Salamander)
Gyrinophilus porphyriticus (Spring Salamander)
Hemidactylium scutatum (Four-toed Salamander)
Plethodon cinereus (Red-backed Salamander)
Pseudoeurycea cephalica (Chunky False Brook Salamander)
Pseudotriton ruber (Red Salamander)
Speleomantes imperialis (Odourous Cave Salamander)

Asiatic salamanders, Hynobiidae

Hynobius boulengeri (Odaigahara Salamander)
Hynobius dunni (Oita or Dunn’s Salamander)
Hynobius okiensis (Oki Salamander)
Hynobius quelpaertensis (Jeju or Cheju Salamander)
Hynobius retardatus (Hokkaido Salamander, Ezo Salamander)
Pachyhynobius shangchengensis (Shangcheng Stout Salamander)
Paradactylodon mustersi (Afghanistan Mountain Salamander)

Mudpuppies and Olms, Proteidae

Necturus maculosus (Mudpuppy)
Proteus anguinus (Olm)

Sirens, Sirenidae

Pseudobranchus axanthus (Southern Dwarf Siren)

Giant salamanders, Cryptobranchidae

Andrias davidianus (Chinese Giant Salamander)

Amphiumas or Congo eels, Amphiumidae

Amphiuma tridactylum (Three-toed Amphiuma)

Species accounts of caecilians (Gymnophiona)

Taylor‘s caecilians, Dermophiidae
Geotrypetes seraphini (Gaboon Caecilian)

Asian tailed caecilians, Ichthyophiidae

Ichthyophis kohtaoensis (Koh Tao Caecilian)

Aquatic caecilians or rubber eels, Typhlonectidae

Typhlonectes natans (Rio Cauca Caecilian, Rubber Eel)

Further information

References and further reading