Thursday, March 17, 2011

Salamander


True Wild Life | Salamander | A salamander is an amphibian that has four legs, a long and slender body and a long tail. Despite their lizard-like appearance, salamanders are most closely related to the smaller amphibious lizard, the newt. Salamanders are found all over the world generally in more temperate climates. All species of salamander are aquatic or semi-aquatic due to their amphibious nature and permeable skin. The moist skin of the salamander means that the salamander inhabits aquatic regions or wetlands.


There are more than 700 different species of recognised salamander worldwide from the smaller species of newt to the Chinese Giant salamander which can grow to nearly 2 meters long. All species of salamander look very similar in appearance but as with lizards, different species of salamander can have less limbs than normal meaning that some species of salamander have a more eel-like appearance.


In a similar way to newts and lizards, the salamander is remarkably able to regenerate and regrow lost limbs and sometimes other body parts too. This gives the salamander an advantage when being hunted by predators as the salamander is able to drop body parts and escape. Most species of salamander are brightly coloured, particularly the male salamanders during the breeding season, when their colours become brighter and more intense in order to try to attract a female. Those species of salamander that live underground are often either white or pink in colour due to the fact that their skin is never exposed to the sun.


The skin of salamanders secretes mucus, which helps keep the animal moist when on dry land, and maintains their salt balance while in water, as well as providing a lubricant during swimming. Salamanders also secrete poison from glands in their skin, and some additionally have skin glands for secreting courtship pheromones. Salamander population numbers have been dramatically decreasing possibly due to levels of fungus that is increasingly present in the water. It is unknown as to whether or not this is the reason for the decreasing salamander numbers but pollution levels are also thought to have played a big part.

No comments:

Labels

Albatross Alligator Amphibian Angelfish Ant Anteater Antelope Ape Armadillo Aves Avocet Axolotl Baboon Badger Bandicoot Barb Barracuda Bat Bear Beaver Bee Beetle Binturong Bird Birds Of Paradise Bison Boar Bongo Bonobo Booby Budgerigar Buffalo Butterfly Butterfly Fish Caiman Camel Capybara Caracal Carnivore Cassowary Cat Caterpillar Catfish Cattle Centipede Chameleon Chamois Cheetah Chicken Chimpanzee Chinchilla Cichlid Civet Clouded Leopard Clown Fish Coati Cockroach Collared Peccary Common Buzzard Coral Cougar Cow Coyote Crab Crane Critically Endangered Crocodile Crustacean Cuscus Damselfly Deer Dhole Discus Dodo Dog Dolphin Donkey Dormouse Dragon Dragonfly Duck Dugong Eagle Echidna Eel Elephant Emu Endangered Extinct Falcon Ferret Fish Flamingo Flatfish Flounder Fly Fossa Fox Frog Gar Gazelle Gecko Gerbil Gharial Gibbon Giraffe Goat Goose Gopher Gorilla Grasshopper Grouse Guinea Fowl Guinea Pig Guppy Hamster Hare Hedgehog Herbivore Heron Hippopotamus Horse Human Hummingbird Hyena Ibis Iguana Impala Insect Invertebrate Jackal Jaguar Jellyfish Kangaroo Kingfisher Kiwi Koala Kudu Ladybird Ladybug Larvae Least Concern Lemming Lemur Leopard Lion Lionfish Lizard Llama Lobster Lynx Macaque Mammal Mammoth Manatee Mandrill Manta Ray Marsupial Mayfly Meerkat Millipede Mole Mollusca Molly Mongoose Monkey Moorhen Moose Moth Mouse Mule Near Threatened Newt Nightingale Numbat Octopus Okapi Olm Omnivore Opossum Orang Utan Oriole Ostrich Otter Owl Oyster Pademelon Panda Panther Parrot Peacock Pelican Penguin Phanter Pheasant Pig Pika Pike Piranha Platypus Pond Skater Possum Prawn Primate Puffer Fish Puffin Puma Quail Quoll Rabbit Raccoon Raccoon Dog Rare Rat Reindeer Reptile Rhinoceros Robin Rodent Salamander Scorpion Scorpion Fish Sea Dragon Sea Lion Sea Slug Sea Squirt Sea Urchin Seahorse Seal Serval Shark Sheep Shrew Shrimp Skunk Sloth Snail Snake Spider Sponge Squid Squirrel Starfish Stoat Swan Tamarin Tapir Tarantula Threatened Tiger Toad Tortoise Toucan Turkey Turtle Vulnerable Vulture Walrus Weasel Whale Wildebeest Wolf Woodlouse Woodpecker Worm Zebra