Contents Contents
Preface 6
Taxonomy and Systematics 8
Biology 12 Metamorphosis 12 The skin 13 Anti-predator behaviour 16 Colours, patterns and colour morphs 21 Thermoregulation 27 Diet 28 Reproduction 29 Natural habitats of tailed amphibians 40
Keeping salamanders and newts 48 Keeping in an aquarium 48 Keeping in a terrarium 50 What to look out for when making a purchase 55 Environmental conditions 55 Population density 64 Handling 67 The right diet 68
Reproduction 78 Sexing 78 Triggers for mating 81 Deposition and development of eggs 84 Development of the larvae 86 Metamorphosis 89 Raising freshly metamorphosed tailed amphibians 90 The right diet for terrestrial juveniles 93
Salamanders, laws and ethics 94 Amphibian decline and keeping salamanders - a contradiction? 94 Laws governing the keeping of newts and salamanders 100 Individual identification and marking 104
Diseases of salamanders and newts 106 How to recognise a sick tailed amphibian 107 2
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Most common diseases 110 Medical care for diseased tailed amphibians 119
Species accounts of tailed amphibians (Urodela) 120 Salamanders and newts, Salamandridae 120 Calotriton asper (Pyrenean Newt) 120 Cynops cyanurus (Blue-tailed Fire-bellied Newt) 122 Cynops ensicauda (Sword-tailed Newt) 123 Cynops orientalis (Chinese Fire-bellied Newt) 125 Cynops pyrrhogaster (Japanese Fire-bellied Newt) 126 Euproctus platycephalus (Sardinian Newt) 128 Laotriton laoensis (Laos Warty Newt) 130 Lissotriton italicus (Italian Newt) 132 Lissotriton vulgaris (Smooth Newt) 134 Lyciasalamandra billae (Bille's Salamander) 137 Mertensiella caucasica (Caucasian Salamander) 144 Neurergus crocatus (Lake Urmia Newt) 145 Neurergus kaiseri (Luristan Newt) 147 Neurergus strauchii (Anatolia Newt) 149 Notophthalmus viridescens (Red-spotted Newt) 151 Ommatotriton ophryticus (Northern Banded Newt) 153 Ommatotriton vittatus (Southern Banded Newt) 155 Pachytriton sp. (Paddle-tailed Newt) 156 Paramesotriton chinensis (Chinese Warty Newt) 158 Pleurodeles waltl (Ribbed newt) 165 Salamandra atra, Salamandra lanzai (Alpine Salamanders) 166 Salamandra salamandra, Salamandra algira, Salamandra Corsica, Salamandra infraimmaculata (Fire Salamanders) 168 Salamandrina perspicillata, Salamandrina terdigitata (Spectacled Salamanders) 174 Taricha granulosa (Rough-skinned Newt) 175 Triturus carnifex (Italian Crested Newt) 178 Triturus marmoratus (Northern Marbled Newt) 180 Tylototriton kweichowensis (Guizhou Knobby Newt) 181 Tylototriton shanjing (Yunnan Newt, Mandarin Salamander) 184 Tylototriton verrucosus (Himalayan Salamander, Crocodile Newt) 185 Tylototriton wenxianensis (Wenxian Knobby Newt)) 187
Mole salamanders, Ambystomatidae 189 Ambystoma laterale (Blue-spotted Salamander) 189 Ambystoma macrodactylum (Long-toed Salamander) 190 Ambystoma maculatum (Spotted Salamander) 191 Ambystoma mavortium (Barred Tiger Salamander) 193 3 Contents
Ambystoma mexicanum (Axolotl) 195 Ambystoma opacum (Marbled Salamander) 197
Lungless salamanders, Plethodontidae 198 Aneides lugubris (Arboreal Salamander) 198 Bolitoglossa dofleini (Giant Palm Salamander, Doflein's Salamander) 200 Bolitoglossa mexicana (Mexican Mushroomtongue Salamander) 201 Desmognathus fuscus (Northern Dusky Salamander) 203 Euiycea guttolineata (Three-lined Salamander) 204 Gyrinophilus porphyriticus (Spring Salamander) 206 Hemidactylium scutatum (Four-toed Salamander) 207 Plethodon cinereus (Red-backed Salamander) 209 Pseudoeurycea cephalica (Chunky False Brook Salamander) 211 Pseudotriton ruber (Red Salamander) 213 Speleomantes imperialis (Odourous Cave Salamander) 214
Asiatic salamanders, Hynobiidae 218 Hynobius boulengeri (Odaigahara Salamander) 218 Hynobius dunni (Oita or Dunn's Salamander) 219 Hynobius okiensis (Oki Salamander) 221 Hynobius quelpaertensis (Jeju or Cheju Salamander) 222 Hynobius retardatus (Hokkaido Salamander, Ezo Salamander) 223 Pachyhynobius shangchengensis (Shangcheng Stout Salamander) 225 Paradactylodon mustersi (Afghanistan Mountain Salamander) 226
Mudpuppies and 01ms, Proteidae 228 Necturus maculosus (Mudpuppy) 228 Proteus anguinus (01m) 230
Sirens, Sirenidae 232 Pseudobranchus axanthus (Southern Dwarf Siren) 232
Giant salamanders, Cryptobranchidae 234 Andrias davidianus (Chinese Giant Salamander) 234
Amphiumas or Congo eels, Amphiumidae 236 Amphiuma tridactylum (Three-toed Amphiuma) 236
Species accounts of caecilians (Gymnophiona) 238 Taylor's caecilians, Dermophiidae 238 Geotrypetes seraphini (Gaboon Caecilian) 238 4 Contents
Asian tailed caecilians, Ichthyophiidae 240 Ichthyophis kohtaoensis (Koh Tao Caecilian) 240
Aquatic caecilians or rubber eels, Typhlonectidae 242 Typhlonectes natans (Rio Cauca Caecilian, Rubber Eel) 242
Further information 244
References and further reading 246