Salamander

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salamander
Fossil range: Jurassic - Recent

A Fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra)

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Amphibia
Subclass:	Lissamphibia
Order:	Caudata/Urodela

Suborders

Cryptobranchoidea
Salamandroidea
Sirenoidea

Salamanders are amphibians. They are the order Caudata (also called Urodela).

Salamanders live in water and on land. Salamanders look like lizards, with four legs and a tail. They hatch from eggs in the water. When they are babies (called larva), they live like fish and have gills that stick out.

Most salamanders live on land when they are adults, after changing their shape. This change is called metamorphosis. They lose their gills and fins and start to breathe air. They also drink water through their skin. Some salamanders stay in the water, but look like adults. These are called newts. These kind of salamanders have poison. Some salamanders look like babies their whole lives. This is called neoteny.

People used to think salamanders lived in fire, but this was a myth.

There are about 500 different species of Salamanders;

1 Classification
2 Popular culture
3 References
4 Other websites

[change] Classification

There is one family belonging to the order Urodela, divided into three suborders:

Family	Common Names	Example Species	Example Photo
Cryptobranchoidea (Giant salamanders)
Cryptobranchidae	Giant salamanders	Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis)
Hynobiidae	Asiatic salamanders	Western Chinese Mountain Salamander (Batrachurperus pinchonii)	-
Salamandroidea (Advanced salamanders)
Ambystomatidae	Mole salamanders	Marbled Salamander (Ambystoma opacum)
Amphiumidae	Amphiumas or Congo eels	Two-toed Amphiuma (Amphiuma means)
Dicamptodontidae	Pacific giant salamanders	Pacific Giant Salamander (Dicamptodon tenebrosus)
Plethodontidae	Lungless salamanders	Red Back Salamander (Plethodon cinereus)
Proteidae	Mudpuppies or waterdogs	Olm (Proteus anguinus)
Rhyacotritonidae	Torrent salamanders	Southern Torrent Salamander (Rhyacotriton variegatus)
Salamandridae	Newts and true salamanders	Alpine Newt (Triturus alpestris)
Sirenoidea (Sirens)
Sirenidae	Sirens	Greater Siren (Siren lacertina)

[change] Popular culture

Literature

In Karel Čapek´s science fiction novel War with the Newts, also called War with the Salamanders, the species Andrias scheuchzeri takes the main role.

Myth/Legend

Salamanders are also known as minor demons according to lore.

Gaming

In Earthworm Jim 2, there is a stage where Jim transforms from an earthworm to a blind cave salamander.

Animation

In the anime Legendz, Salamander is an anthropomorphic caudate who is relegated a role as a minor character.
In the Pokémon franchise, Wooper and its evolved form, Quagsire are salamanders; Salamence is also a Salamander pokemon, hence the name; Charmander is an salamander-like Pokémon with characteristics of the mythical salamander.

[change] References

San Mauro, Diego, Miguel Vences, Marina Alcobendas, Rafael Zardoya and Axel Meyer (May 2005). "Initial diversification of living amphibians predated the breakup of Pangaea". American Naturalist 165: 590-599.