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Salamandridae

(Family)

Overview

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Salamandridae is a family of salamanders consisting of true salamanders and newts. Currently, 74 species (with more expected) have been identified in the northern hemisphere - Europe, Asia, the northern tip of Africa and North America. Salamandrids are distinguished from other salamanders by the lack of rib or costal grooves along the sides of the body and by their rough skin and wierd looks.

With a few exceptions, salamandrids have patterns of bright and contrasting colors. They have four well-developed limbs, with four toes on the forelimbs, and (in most cases) five toes on the hindlimbs. They vary from 7 to 30 centimetres (3 to 12 in) in length.1]

The Alpine salamander and Lanza's fire salamander give birth to live young, without a tadpole stage, but the other species lay their eggs in water. Some newts are neotenic, being able to reproduce before they are fully metamorphosed.[1]

Taxonomy

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The genera Chioglossa, Lyciasalamandra, Mertensiella and Salamandra are grouped in the subfamily Salamandrinae, the rest in Pleurodelinae.[2] Those with a more thoroughly aquatic lifestyle are referred to as "newts", but this is not a formal taxonomic description.

Family SALAMANDRIDAE

  • Subfamily Salamandrinae
    • Genus Chioglossa - 1 species
      • Gold-Striped Salamander (Chioglossa lusitanica)
    • Genus Lyciasalamandra - 7 species
      • Anatolia Lycian Salamander (Lyciasalamandra antalyana)
      • Atif's Lycian Salamander (Lyciasalamandra atifi)
      • Bay Lycian Salamander (Lyciasalamandra billae)
      • Fazil Lycian Salamander (Lyciasalamandra fizilae)
      • Marmaris Lycian Salamander (Lyciasalamandra flavimembris)
      • Karpathos Lycian Salamander (Lyciasalamandra helverseni)
      • Luschan's Salamander (Lyciasalamandra luschani)
    • Genus Mertensiella - 1 species
      • Caucasian Salamander (Mertensiella caucasica)
    • Genus Salamandra (Fire Salamanders) - 6 species
      • Algerian Fire Salamander (Salamandra algira)
      • Alpine Salamander (Salamandra atra)
      • Corsican Fire Salamander (Salamandra corsica)
      • Near Eastern Fire Salamander (Salamandra infraimmaculata)
      • Lanza's Alpine Salamander (Salamandra lanzai)
      • Fire Salamander (Salamandra salamandra)
    • .1]

    The Alpine salamander and Lanza's fire salamander give birth to live young, without a tadpole stage, but the other species lay their eggs in water. Some newts are neotenic, being able to reproduce before they are fully metamorphosed.[1]

    Taxonomy

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    The genera Chioglossa, Lyciasalamandra, Mertensiella and Salamandra are grouped in the subfamily Salamandrinae, the rest in Pleurodelinae.[2] Those with a more thoroughly aquatic lifestyle are referred to as "newts", but this is not a formal taxonomic description.

    Family SALAMANDRIDAE

    • Subfamily Pleurodelinae
      • Genus Calotriton (Spanish Brook Newts) - 2 species
        • Montseny Brook Newt (Calotriton arnoldii)
        • Pyrenean Brook Newt (Calotriton asper)
      • Genus Cynops (Fire Belly Newts) - 7 species
        • Chenggong Fire Belly Newt (Cynops chenggongensis )
        • Chuxiong Fire-Bellied Newt (Cynops cyanurus)
        • Japanese Sword-Tailed Newt (Cynops ensicauda)
        • Chinese Fire Belly Newt (Cynops orientalis)
        • Dayang Fire Belly ne wt (Cynops orphicus)
        • Japanese Fire Belly Newt (Cynops pyrrhogaster)
        • Yunnan Lake Newt (Cynops wolterstorffi)
      • Genus Echinotriton (Crocodile Newts) -2 species
        • Anderson's Crocodile Newt (Echinotriton andersoni)
        • Chinhai Spiny Newt (Echinotriton chinhaiensis)
      • Genus Euproctus (Brook Salamanders) -3 species
        • Pyrenean Brook Salamander (Euproctus asper)
        • Corsican Brook Salamander (Euproctus montanus)
        • Sardinian Brook Salamander (Euproctus platycephalus)
      • Genus Lissotriton (Small bodied Newts) - 5 species
        • Bosca's Newt (Lissotriton boscai)
        • Palmate Newt (Lissotriton helveticus)
        • Italian Newt (Lissotriton italicus)
        • Carpathian Newt (Lissotriton montandoni)
        • Smooth Newt (Lissotriton vulgaris)
      • Genus Mesotriton (Alpine Newts) - 1 species
        • Alpine Ne wt (Mesotriton alpestris)
      • Genus Neurergus (Spotted Newts) - 4 species
        • Yellow-Spotted Newt (Neurergus crocatus)
        • Kaiser's Spotted Newt (Neurergus kaiseri)
        • Kurdistan Spotted Newt (Neurergus microspilotus)
        • Strauch's Spotted Newt (Neurergus strauchii)
      • Genus Notophthalmus (Eastern Newts) - 3 species
        • Black-Spotted Newt (Notophthalmus meridionalis)
        • Striped Newt (Notophthalmus perstriatus)
        • Eastern Newt (Notophthalmus viridescens)
      • Genus Ommatotriton (Banded Newts) - 2 species
        • Northern Banded Newt (Ommatotriton ophryticus)
        • Southern Banded Newt (Ommatotriton vittatus)
      • Genus Pachytriton (Paddle-Tail Newts) - 2 species (with 4 more to be evaluated)
        • Spotted Paddle-Tail Newt (Pachytriton brevipes)
        • Paddle-Tail Newt (Pachytriton labiatus)
        • probably 4 more s pecies not yet described completely. Known as Pachytriton A, B,C & D.
      • Genus Paramesotriton (Warty Newts) -7 species
        • Spot-Tailed Warty Newt (Paramesotriton caudopunctatus)
        • Chinese Warty Newt (Paramesotriton chinensis)
        • Tam Dao Warty Newt (Paramesotriton deloustali)
        • Wanggao Warty Newt (Paramesotriton fuzhongensis)
        • Guangxi Warty Newt (Paramesotriton guanxiensis)
        • Hong Kong Warty Newt (Paramesotriton hongkongensis)
        • Laos Warty Newt (Paramesotriton laoensis)
      • Genus Pleurodeles (Ribbed Newts) - 3 species
        • Algerian Ribbed Newt(Pleurodeles nebulosus)
        • Edough Ribbed Newt (Pleurodeles poireti)
        • Spanish Ribbed Newt (Pleurodeles waltl)
      • Genus Salamandrina (Spectacled Salamanders) -2 species
        • Southern Spectacled Salamander (Salamandrina terdigitata)
        • Northern Spectacled Salamander (Salamandrina perspicillata)
      • Genus Taricha (Western Newts / Pacific Newts) - 3 species
        • Rough-Skinned Newt (Taricha granulosa)
        • Red-Bellied Newt (Taricha rivularis)
        • California Newt (Taricha torosa)
      • Genus Triturus (Crested Newts) -7species
        • Italian Crested Newt (Triturus carnifex)
        • Northern Crested Newt (Triturus cristatus)
        • Danube Crested Newt (Triturus dobrogicus)
        • Southern Crested Newt (Triturus karelinii)
        • Marbled Newt (Triturus marmoratus)
        • Pygmy Marbled Newt (Triturus pygmaeus)
      • Genus Tylototriton (Crocodile Newts) - 8 species
        • Black Knobby Newt (Tylototriton asperrimus)
        • Hainan Knobby Newt (Tylototriton hainanensis)
        • Red-Tailed Knobby Newt (Tylototriton kweichowensis)
        • Mandarin Newt (Tylototriton shanjing)
        • Taliang Knobby Newt (Tylototri ton taliangensis)
        • Himalayan Crocodile Newt (Tylototriton verrucosus)
        • Vietnamese Crocodile Newt (Tylototriton vietnamensis)
        • Wenxian Knobby Newt (Tylototriton wenxianensis)
    • Subfamily Salamandrinae
      • Genus Chioglossa - 1 species
        • Gold-Striped Salamander (Chioglossa lusitanica)
      • Genus Lyciasalamandra - 7 species
        • Anatolia Lycian Salamander (Lyciasalamandra antalyana)
        • Atif's Lycian Salamander (Lyciasalamandra atifi)
        • Bay Lycian Salamander (Lyciasalamandra billae)
        • Fazil Lycian Salamander (Lyciasalamandra fizilae)
        • Marmaris Lycian Salamander (Lyciasalamandra flavimembris)
        • Karpathos Lycian Salamander (Lyciasalamandra helverseni)
        • Luschan's Salamander (Lyciasalamandra luschani)
      • Genus Mertensiella - 1 species
        • Caucasian Salamander (Mertensiella caucasica)
      • Genus Salamandra (Fire Salamanders) - 6 species
        • Algerian Fire Salamander (Salamandra algira)
        • Alpine Salamander (Salamandra atra)
        • Corsican Fire Salamander (Salamandra corsica)
        • Near Eastern Fire Salamander (Salamandra infraimmaculata)
        • Lanza's Alpine Salamander (Salamandra lanzai)
        • Fire Salamander (Salamandra salamandra)

    Notes

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    1. ^ a b Lanza, B., Vanni, S., & Nistri, A. (1998). Cogger, H.G. & Zweifel, R.G.. ed. Encyclopedia of Reptiles and Amphibians. San Diego: Academic Press. pp. 73?74. ISBN 0-12-178560-2. 
    2. ^ http://research.amnh.org/herpetology/amphibia/references.php?id=27224

    External links

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    Data related to Salamandridae at Wikispecies Media related to Salamandridae at Wikimedia Commons

    Taxonomy

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    The Family Salamandridae is further organized into finer groupings including:

    Genera

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    Bishara

    [more]

    Calotriton

    [more]

    Chelotriton

    [more]

    Chioglossa

    The Gold-Striped Salamander, Golden-Striped Salamander, Saramaganta or P?ntega Rabilonga (Chioglossa lusitanica) is a species of salamander in the Salamandridae family. It is the only species of the genus Chioglossa. It is found in the north-west of Iberia at an altitude of up to 1,300m. [more]

    Cynops

    The Fire Belly Newts (Cynops), or Fire Newts, are a genus of newts native to Japan and China. All of the species show bright yellow or red bellies, however this feature is not unique to this genus. [more]

    Diemictylus

    Echinotriton

    Echinotriton is a genus of in the Salamandridae family. It contains the following species: [more]

    Euproctus

    Euproctus is a genus of in the Salamandridae family. It contains the following species: [more]

    Ichthyosaura

    Lissotriton

    Lyciasalamandra

    Lyciasalamandra is a genus of in the Salamandridae family. It contains the following species: [more]

    Mertensiella

    The Caucasian Salamander (Mertensiella caucasica) is a species of salamander in the Salamandridae family. It is found in Georgia and Turkey. Its natural habitats are temperate forests and rivers. It is the only member of its genus, and is threatened by habitat loss. [more]

    Mesotriton

    Molge

    [more]

    Neurergus

    Neurergus is a genus of , more specifically newt, in the Salamandridae family. They are found in the Middle East (predominately in Turkey and Iran), and are bred in captivity for their bright colors. In nature they inhabit streams and small rivers, and the surrounding forest or shrublands. All of the Neurergus are considered threatened species, primarily due to destruction of habitat. [more]

    Notophtalmus

    [more]

    Notophthalmus

    Notophthalmus is a genus of newts known commonly as North American newts. There are three species. [more]

    Notopthalmus

    Ommatotriton

    Pachytriton

    A Genus in the Kingdom Animalia.[1] [more]

    Palaeotaricha

    Paramesotriton

    Paramesotriton is a genus of in the Salamandridae family. It contains the following species: [more]

    Pingia

    Pleurodeles

    The Ribbed Newts (Pleurodeles genus) is a group of three newt species: [more]

    Procynops

    Salamander

    Salamandra

    Salamandra is a genus of six species of localized in central and southern Europe, Northern Africa, and western Asia. [more]

    Salamandrina

    Salamandrina is a genus of in the Salamandridae family. It contains the following species: [more]

    Taricha

    The genus Taricha consists of three species and four subspecies of Western Newts (sometimes referred to as Pacific Newts). All newts are part of the family Salamandridae. The three species within this genus are the California Newt, the Rough-Skinned Newt, and the Red Bellied Newt, all of which are found on the west coast of the USA. [more]

    Triturus

    Triturus (from Triton, son of Poseidon and Greek: ura, meaning tail) is a genus of newt, commonly known as the crested or marbled newts, depending on the species. They are found across most of Europe, parts of Russia and the Middle East. The genus includes the Great Crested Newt, the Italian Crested Newt, the Danube Crested Newt, the Southern Crested Newt, the Marbled Newt and the Pygmy or Southern Marbled Newt. [more]

    Tylototriton

    Tylototriton is a of newt known as crocodile newts. There are eight known species in this genus. [more]

    At least 10 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Tylototriton.

    More info about the Genus Tylototriton may be found here.

    Footnotes

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    1. http://www.ubio.org/browser/details.php?namebankID=31704
    1. ^ a b Lanza, B., Vanni, S., & Nistri, A. (1998). Cogger, H.G. & Zweifel, R.G.. ed. Encyclopedia of Reptiles and Amphibians. San Diego: Academic Press. pp. 73?74. ISBN 0-12-178560-2. 
    2. ^ http://research.amnh.org/herpetology/amphibia/references.php?id=27224

    Sources

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    Last Revised: August 24, 2012
    2012/08/24 13:42:16