Chinese Giant Salamander ( Andrias
davidianus)
 Habitat: reside in mountain
streams in-between el. 200 to 1500 m, where the water is
rapid, clear and where there are many cracks and holes on
rocks.
Feeding habits: it won't
attack positively to get its food; instead, it will open its
mouth to wait for its prey to enter its mouth. It likes to eat
fish, crabs, frogs, snakes and other aquatic
animals.
Features: the largest specie
of all amphibians with a total body length of 1.8-2.0 m and a
weight of 20-25 kg. During the mating season, it often cries.
Its crying sound is like that of a baby, therefore, common
people often call it "baby fish". It has a big head, on which
there are apparent grains. Chinese giant salamander has a
large mouth, but its eyes and nostril are very small. Its tail
is flat and its skin is soft and smooth. Normally, its skin
color is brown and it has no scales at all. Its four limbs are
short and fat. Its mating season is from June to August each
year, and it lays its eggs on rocks. It accepts sperm outside
and young salamanders will be hatched out within 21 days
naturally. Young salamanders grow very slowly.
Category: Amphibia, Urodela,
Cryptobranchidae
Distribution: in
mountain streams of Northeast and Southeast Yunnan. Another 17
provinces of China.
Protection level:
since its flesh is delicious, it incurs wanton over
killing. The number of giant salamanders is reducing in all
original habitats and it even becomes distinct in some places.
It has been listed as Class II state protection animal and in
Appendix I of CITES.
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