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The salamander is an amphibiananimal that has four legs, a slender andlong body and a long tail. Asalamander's rear legs develop moregradually than its front legs. (Toadsand frogs are the opposite: their rearlegs develop more rapidly than theirfront legs.) The four legs on asalamander are short to the point thatits belly drags on ground. In spite oftheir lizard-like nature, salamandersare closely related to the smalleramphibians called newts.

Salamanders are found everywherethroughout the world, mostly in moretemperate areas. One-third of theknown salamander species are found inNorth America. The highestconcentration of these is found in theAppalachian Mountains region. All thespecies of salamander are aquatic andsemi-aquatic because of theirpermeable skin and amphibious nature.

There are more than 700 species ofrecognized salamanders all over theworld, from the smaller species to theChinese giant salamander. All thespecies of salamander look very muchalike in appearance, however as withlizards, diverse species of salamandercan possesses less limbs than normal,possessing a more eel-like appearance.

Like lizards and newts, salamandersare able to regenerate or regrow lostlimbs and other parts of the body. Thisgives salamanders leeway while beingchased by predators, as the salamanderhas the ability drop parts of its body toescape.

Some salamander species utilize tailautotomy to escape their predators.The tail drops off and also wrigglesaround for some time after an attack.The salamander either stays still orruns away while the predator is

diverted. The tail regrows within time,and salamanders routinely regrowother complex tissues, including theretina or lens of their eyes. In just acouple of weeks of losing a part of alimb, a salamander reforms the missingparts.

The majority of salamander species arebrightly colored, especially the malesalamanders amid the breeding periodwhen their colors get to be brighter andmore intense to attract the femalesalamanders. Species of salamandersthat live underground are mostly whiteor pink in color because their skin isnever exposed to the sun.

The skin of salamanders secretesbodily fluid, which helps keepsalamanders moist when on dry landand keeps up their salt balance while inwater. It also provides a lubricantduring swimming.

miniature versions of the adult without an interveninglarval stage.

THREATS TO SALAMANDERSA general decline in amphibian species has been linkedwith the fungal disease chytridiomycosis. A higherproportion of salamander species than of frogs orcaecilians are in one of the at-risk categories establishedby the IUCN. Salamanders showed a significantdiminution in numbers in the last few decades of the 20thcentury, although no direct link between the fungus andthe population decline has yet been found. Deforestation,resulting in fragmentation of suitable habitats, andchanges in climate are possible contributory factors.

The Chinese giant salamander, at 6 feet the largestamphibian in the world, is critically endangered, as it iscollected for food and for use in traditional Chinesemedicine. The hellbender is another large, long-livedspecies with dwindling numbers and fewer juvenilesreaching maturity than previously. Habitat loss, silting ofstreams, pollution and disease have all been implicated inthe decline.

Of the 20 species of minute salamanders in Mexico, halfare believed to have become extinct and most of theothers are critically endangered. Specific reasons for thedecline may include climate change, chytridiomycosis, orvolcanic activity, but themain threat is habitatdestruction as logging,agricultural activities,and human settlementreduce their often tiny,fragmented ranges.

Salamanders additionally secrete a poisonous substancefrom the glands in their skin, and some also possess skinglands for secreting courtship pheromones.

Respiration varies among the distinctive species and caninclude lungs, skin, gills, and the membranes of the throatand mouth. Larval salamanders breathe essentially by meanof gills that are mostly feathery and external in appearance.Water is drawn in via the mouth and flows out via the gillslits. Some neotenic species like the mudpuppy maintaintheir gills for the duration of their lives, however, mostspecies lose them during metamorphosis.

Salamanders are opportunistic predators. They are generallynot restricted to specific foods, but feed on almost anyorganism. Large species such as the Japanese giantsalamander eat crabs, fish, small mammals, amphibians, andaquatic insects. Smaller salamanders may eat earthworms,flies, beetles, beetle larvae, leafhoppers, springtails, moths,spiders, grasshoppers, and mites.

A terrestrial salamander catches its prey by flicking out itssticky tongue in an action that takes less than half a second.An aquatic salamander lacks muscles in the tongue, andcaptures its prey in an entirely different manner. It grabs thefood item, grasps it with its teeth, and adopts a kind ofinertial feeding. This involves tossing its head about,drawing water sharply in and out of its mouth, and snappingits jaws which tears and macerates the prey before beingswallowed.

Salamanders are not vocal and in most species the sexeslook alike, so they use olfactory and tactile cues to identifypotential mates. Pheromones play an important part in theprocess. In about 90% of all species, fertilization is internal.The male typically deposits a spermatophore on the groundor in the water according to species, and the female picksthis up with her vent. Often an elaborate courtship behavioris involved in its deposition and collection. In the mostprimitive salamanders such as the Asiatic salamanders andthe giant salamanders, external fertilization occurs, instead.In these species, the male releases sperm onto the egg massin a reproductive process similar to that of typical frogs.

In temperate regions, reproduction is usually seasonal andsalamanders may migrate to breeding grounds. Malesusually arrive first and in some instances set up territories.Typically, a larval stage follows in which the babies arefully aquatic. The tadpoles are carnivorous and the larvalstage may last from days to years, depending on species.Sometimes this stage is completely bypassed, and the eggsof most lungless salamanders develop directly into

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