Salamander fish. Salamander (photo): A miniature dragon with a rich history

This is one of the most mysterious creatures Ancient world and the Middle Ages. The fire salamander was represented as a small dragon that lives in fire and embodies its spirit. Mentioned in the Natural History of Pliny the Elder, who says that the salamander itself is so cold that it can extinguish any flame as soon as it touches it.

“The most terrible of all animals is the salamander,” writes Pliny. - Others bite at least individual people and do not kill many at once, but a salamander can destroy an entire people without anyone noticing where the misfortune came from.

If a salamander climbs a tree, all the fruits on it become poisonous. If she touches the table on which bread is baked, it becomes poisonous... Immersed in the stream, she poisons the water... If she touches any part of the body, even the tip of her finger, then all the hair on her body falls out..."

In alchemy, the salamander is the spirit of the element of fire, just as there are spirits of the other three elements - earth, water and air.

Where did this legend about a fiery creature come from? In the Hebrew legend “The Gates of Heaven” there are these lines: “Out of fire is born an animal called a salamander, which feeds only on fire; and fire is its matter, and it will appear in the blaze of furnaces that burn for seven years.” The image of a spotted lizard, associated with the element of fire, migrated to medieval treatises on symbolism, alchemy and found a connection with religious symbolism.

In the Physiologist, a book written in the 3rd century and which is a collection and original interpretation of pre-Christian works on zoology, the fire salamander corresponds to three righteous people who were not burned in the fiery furnace. Then her image spread across various bestiaries and gained popularity, and the legend took root and became firmly established in many prophecies.

The common fire or spotted salamander is a small amphibian with medium length body 16-20 cm

Start fiery image put the coloring of the animal. Ancient scientists, in particular Pliny the Elder and Albertus Magnus, tried to associate its yellow and orange spots on the skin with the light of distant stars.

It was believed that the fire salamander somehow influenced the appearance of meteors, comets and new stars, and they, accordingly, affected the location of colored spots on its skin. A connection with various fiery phenomena is also mentioned, since scientists associated the same elongated spots with flames.

The salamander has always caused superstitious horror and fear, giving rise to many myths. In some, she is immortal, and her skin can cure all diseases; in others it is little Dragon, from which a fire-breathing monster will grow in a hundred years.

In medieval magic, the salamander is a spirit, the keeper of fire, its personification. In Christianity, she is a messenger of hell, but in the treatises of the 11th century by the Byzantine George of Pisida, she is identified with the biblical symbol of a pious person, “who does not burn in the flames of sin and hell.”

In the Middle Ages, the belief spread in Europe that salamanders live in flames, and therefore in Christianity her image became a symbol of the fact that a living body can withstand fire. In addition, the magic lizard personifies the fight against carnal pleasures, chastity and faith. Theologians cited the phoenix bird as evidence of resurrection in the flesh, and the salamander as an example of the fact that living bodies can exist in fire.

In Saint Augustine's City of God there is a chapter entitled "Can Bodies Exist in Fire" and it begins like this:

“Why would I bring evidence here, if not to convince the incredulous that human bodies, endowed with soul and life, not only do not disintegrate and do not decompose after death, but their existence continues among the torments of eternal fire?

Since it is not enough for unbelievers that we attribute this miracle to the omnipotence of the Almighty, they demand that we prove it with some example. And we can answer them that there really are animals, corruptible creatures, for they are mortal, who nevertheless dwell in fire.”

Poets also resorted to the images of the salamander and phoenix, but only as a poetic exaggeration. For example, Que-vedo in the sonnets of the fourth book of “Spanish Parnassus”, where “the exploits of love and beauty are sung”:

I, like a Phoenix, am embraced by fury
By fire and, burning in it, I am reborn,
And I am convinced of his masculine strength,
That he is a father who gave birth to many children.
And the salamanders are notoriously cold
It doesn’t extinguish, I guarantee that on my honor.
The heat of my heart, in which I toil,
She doesn't care, even though he's a living hell to me.

In ancient books, the salamander was often given a magical appearance. She is already unusual, and in ancient descriptions she surpasses even this image. She has the body of a young cat, large membranous wings on her back, like some dragons, the tail of a snake, and only the head of an ordinary lizard.

Its skin is covered with small scales, fibers reminiscent of asbestos (this mineral was often identified with the salamander) - these are hardened particles of ancient flame.

Often a salamander can be found on the slope of a volcano during an eruption. She also appears in the flames of a fire if she so wishes. It is believed that without this amazing creature, the appearance of heat on earth would be impossible, because without his command even the most ordinary match cannot light up.

According to the treatises of Kabbalism, in order to get this strange creature, you should find a transparent glass vessel with a round shape. Focus the sun's rays in the center of the flask using specially placed mirrors. After some time, the salamander's solar substance, its true essence, will appear there, which can then be used in alchemy to obtain the philosopher's stone.

Other sources clarify that the non-burning salamander only ensured that the required temperature was maintained in the crucible where the transformation of lead into gold took place.

The image of the salamander was widely used in symbolism and heraldry. Thus, on the coats of arms, a four-legged lizard surrounded by flames symbolized perseverance and contempt for danger. For example, in British coats of arms it means courage, courage, fortitude, which cannot be damaged by the fire of disasters. It is curious that the first insurance companies chose the salamander as their symbol, which meant safety from fire.

Traveling through the French castles of Chambord, Blois, Azay-le-Rideau, Fontainebleau, you can come across dozens of images of the salamander, since it was the salamander that was chosen by the French king Francis I as his symbol.

Salamander in the emblem of King Francis I, Château d’Azay-le-Rideau

A salamander on fire, accompanied by the king's motto “I cherish and banish,” is found on bas-reliefs and decorates walls and furniture. The meaning of this motto was that a wise and just monarch sows goodness and goodness, while at the same time eradicating evil and ignorance.

Fiction and reality are often very closely intertwined, and the salamander is a classic example of this. Now, of course, they are quite well studied, but some superstitious fear still remains. Perhaps also because these creatures are unusually poisonous, and most importantly, they carry a mystical trail that has rarely been awarded to any other type of amphibian.

Salamanders are amphibians that belong to the suborder salamanders, order caudate. They are clumsy in appearance, their body is disproportionately thick with transverse folds and a rounded tail. There are many glands located on the skin. Most of them are concentrated on the sides of the body, on the back and behind the ears. There are 4 fingers on the front limbs, and 5 on the hind limbs. Very interesting and very mysterious creature is a salamander.

The animal is the hero of numerous legends and even fairy tales, and all thanks to the belief that the amphibian does not burn in fire. Of course, you should not mock the salamander in order to be convinced of the veracity of these words, but if it so happens that the animal falls into the fire, it will not die, but, most likely, will escape. The salamander lizard has mucus that comes out of its skin. It is this that helps to avoid the negative consequences of fire. By the way, because of its milky white secretions, this creature was considered deadly to humans for many years.

The most common and famous is the fire salamander. The animal received this name because of its golden-orange spots on a black background; sometimes it is also called spotted. amphibian - Europe, except for the northern territory, Wet and dark places - this is what the salamander loves so much. prefers to hide under stones, tree roots, and in burrows. The lizard feels great in forests where there is high humidity. If it persists for a long period hot weather and the required amount of precipitation does not fall, then the habitation of the salamander in this place is in question, since the amphibian cannot exist for a long time under high temperatures and low humidity.

The main disadvantage of the animal is its slowness. Because of this, they cannot diversify their diet and feed mainly on snails, clumsy insects, and earthworms. Sometimes they attack small vertebrates. Slowness is also the reason why the salamander becomes the victim of many predators. The animal can become dinner for a shrew, raccoon, opossum, and owl. Typically, lizard mucus has no effect on predators; it is harmless to them.

The salamander belongs to the type of viviparous animals; the young look like tadpoles, like those of frogs. From the moment of birth until autumn, they stay in the water, and when it gets cold, they come to land to hide more reliably. During the winter, all lizards hibernate. For a long time, people believed that the caustic mucus secreted by the salamander through its skin was deadly not only for small rodents, but also for large animals and humans. In fact, the venom of some species does cause harm, but fatal outcome he doesn't give.

A salamander never attacks a person. A photo of this lizard shows that it has no attack devices. The amphibian does not have claws, teeth, or spines, so to protect yourself from poison, you simply should not touch it. With prolonged contact with the salamander, mucus can enter the body even through the skin. The poison can affect the brain and central nervous system, so you should follow safety precautions when meeting a lizard.

Salamanders (Salamandra) are a genus of very unusual in appearance animals belonging to the order Caudate amphibians. The Salamander family and the Salamander genus also include several more advanced species, distinguished by viviparity and inhabiting land.

Description of the salamander

Translation of the name Salamander from Persian - “Burning from within”. In their appearance, such tailed amphibians resemble a lizard, but are classified into completely different classes: all lizards are in the class Reptiles, and salamanders are in the class Amphibians.

Very original amphibians have amazing properties and are able to regrow a lost tail or limbs. In progress natural evolution All representatives of the group were divided:

Real salamanders (Salamandridae);
Salamanders are lungless (Plethodontidae);
Hypnobranch salamanders (Сryptobranchidae).

The smallest in the world are the dwarf salamander (Eurycea quadridigitata) with a body length of 50-89 mm, and the tiny salamander (Desmognathus wrighti), which grows up to five centimeters. Both species inhabit the northern states of the American continent.

Appearance

The main difference from a lizard is that the salamander has moist and smooth skin, as well as a complete absence of claws. The tailed amphibian has an elongated body that smoothly merges into the tail. Some species have a fairly dense and stocky build, including

The fire salamander, and other members of the family are characterized by a slender and sophisticated body. All species are distinguished by short legs, but some have not very well developed limbs. Most species are distinguished by the presence of four toes on each front leg, and five on the hind legs.

The salamander's head has an elongated and slightly flattened shape, bulging black eyes with, as a rule, fairly well-developed eyelids. In the area of the amphibian's head there are specific skin glands called parotids, which are characteristic of absolutely all amphibians. The main function of such special glands is the production of a toxic secretion - bufotoxin, which contains alkaloids with a neurotoxic effect that quickly causes different types in mammals the development of convulsions or paralysis.

This is interesting! Often the color of a salamander combines several shades of different colors, which are very originally transformed into stripes, specks and spots that differ in shape or size.

In accordance with the species characteristics, the length of an adult can vary between 5-180 cm, and a distinctive feature of some representatives of long-tailed salamanders is that the length of the tail is significantly longer than the length of the body. The color of the salamander is also very diverse, but among the most beautiful views on this moment The Fire Salamander, which has a bright blackish-orange color, deservedly deserves to be considered. The color of other representatives may well be simply plain, black, brown, yellow and olive, as well as gray or reddish.

Character and lifestyle

In water, salamanders move by bending their tail alternately left and right. On land, the animal moves only with the help of two pairs of rather underdeveloped limbs.

At the same time, the fingers on the limbs of some salamander species have a characteristic extensible and leathery membrane, but are completely devoid of claws. All representatives of the Salamander family and the Salamander genus simply have a unique ability that allows their limbs and tail to regenerate.

The breathing process of adults is ensured by the lungs, skin or mucous membrane located inside the oral cavity. Representatives of the genus permanently living in aquatic environment, breathe using the lungs and external gill system. The salamander's gills resemble feathery branches that are located on the sides of the head. Animals of almost all species have difficulty withstanding high temperature conditions, so they try to avoid sun rays and during the daytime they hide under stones, fallen trees or in abandoned animal holes.

This is interesting! The salamander is usually classified as an animal that leads a predominantly solitary lifestyle, but before falling into hibernation, around October, such tailed amphibians gather in groups, which allows them to survive the unfavorable period of the year.

Alpine salamanders prefer to inhabit the coastal zone of mountain streams, where they hide under numerous stones or in bushes, but fire salamanders are of particular interest, preferring mixed and deciduous forests, foothills and mountainous areas, as well as riverbank zones. Tailed amphibians have a fairly strong attachment to a specific habitat, and most often behave crepuscularly or so-called night image life.

Fire salamanders are sedentary and slow animals, swim poorly and try to approach bodies of water only during the breeding stage. In the period from October to the end of November, as a rule, they go to wintering, which lasts until the onset of spring warmth. Representatives of the species spend the winter hiding under the root system of trees or a thick layer of fallen leaves, often uniting in fairly large groups consisting of a couple of dozen or several hundred individuals.

How long do salamanders live?

The average recorded lifespan of tailed amphibians is approximately seventeen years. However, among all the species diversity of this genus, there are also true long-livers. For example, the average lifespan of the Japanese giant salamander may well exceed half a century. Fire salamanders live in captivity for about four to five decades, and in nature the total lifespan of this species does not exceed, as a rule, fourteen years. Representatives of the species Alpine salamanders live in natural environment habitation for no more than ten years.

Salamander species

Today, salamanders are represented by seven main species, but only a few of them are the most studied:

Alpine or black salamander (Salamandra atra) - an animal that resembles a fire salamander in appearance, but is distinguished by a more slender body, smaller size and a predominantly uniform shiny black color (with the exception of the subspecies Salamandra atra aurorae having top part body and head painted bright yellow). The length of an adult individual is, as a rule, no more than 90-140 mm. Subspecies of the alpine salamander: Salamandra atra atra, Salamandra atra auroae and Salamandra atra prenjensis;
Salamander Lanza (Salamandra lanzai) is a tailed amphibian belonging to the family of true salamanders and named after the herpetologist from Italy Benedeto Lanza. Representatives of this species have a black body, an average length of 110-160 mm, a flat head, a rounded and pointed tail;
Pacific salamander (Ensatina esсhsсholtzii) - a species distinguished by a small and thick head, as well as a slender but strong body up to 145 mm long, covered on the sides with wrinkled and folded skin;
Fire-spotted salamander (Salamandra salamandra ) is an animal that is one of the most currently known species of Salamander and the largest representative of this family. The fire salamander has a noticeable bright black and yellow coloration, and the length of adults can easily reach 23-30 cm.

Subspecies belonging to the species Fire salamanders:

S.s. gallaica;
S.s. Linneаus – nominative subspecies;
S.s. alfredschmidti;
S.s. Müller and Hellmich;
S.s. bejarae Mertens and Müller;
S.s. bernardezi Gasser;
S.s. beshkovi Obst;
S.s. crespoi malkmus;
S.s. fastuosa (bonalli) Eiselt;
S.s. galliasa Nikolskii;
S.s. gigliolii Eiselt and Lanza;
S.s. Mertens and Muller;
S.s. infraimmaculata;
S.s. longirostris Joger and Steinfartz;
S.s. morenica Joger and Steinfartz;
S.s. semenovi;
S.s. terrestris Eiselt.

Also, a typical representative of tailed amphibians, belonging to the family of true salamanders, is Salamandra infraimmaculata. The large amphibian reaches a length of 31-32 cm, but females are noticeably larger than males. Skin on the back they are black with yellow or orange spots, and the abdominal area is characterized by black coloring.

Range, habitats

Alpine salamanders live in the central and eastern Alps, at altitudes often exceeding seven hundred meters above the sea surface. They inhabit the territory of the southeastern part of Switzerland, western and central Austria, northern Italy and Slovenia, as well as southern France and Germany. A limited population size is found in Croatia and Bosnia, in Herzegovina and Liechtenstein, in Montenegro and Serbia.

Representatives of the species Salamandra infraimmaculata inhabit Western Asia and the Middle Eastern region, from Turkey to Iran. The Lanza salamander is found exclusively in a very limited area in the western part of the Alps, on the border of France and Italy. Individuals of this species are found in the river valleys of the Po, Germanasca, Gil and Pellice. An isolated population was recently discovered in the Chisone Valley in Italy.

This is interesting! In the Carpathians, the most poisonous representative of the family is found - the alpine black newt, the poison of which is quite capable of causing severe burns on the mucous membranes of humans.

Fire salamanders are inhabitants of forests and hilly areas throughout much of Eastern, Central and Southern Europe, as well as the northern Middle East. The western border of the distribution range of this species is characterized by the capture of the territory of Portugal, the northeastern part of Spain and France. The northern borders of the range extend to the northern part of Germany and southern Poland.

The eastern borders reach the Carpathians in Ukraine, Romania, Iran and Bulgaria. A small number of fire salamanders are found in eastern Turkey. Despite its wide distribution, representatives of the species Fire, or spotted, common salamander are not found in the British Isles.

Salamander diet

The Alpine salamander feeds on a variety of invertebrates. Active mainly at night, Lanza salamanders eat insects, spiders, larvae, isopods, mollusks and earthworms. Salamander species that live in aquatic environments prefer to catch a variety of small fish and crayfish, and also feed on crabs, mollusks and numerous amphibians.

This is interesting! The Lusitanian salamander has an unusual way of hunting, which, like a frog, is capable of catching prey with its tongue, has a black body color with a pair of narrow golden stripes on the ridge and inhabits the territory of Portugal, as well as Spain.

Fire salamanders also prefer to eat various invertebrates, caterpillars various butterflies, Diptera larvae, spiders and slugs, earthworms. Also, small newts and fairly young frogs can be eaten by such tailed amphibians from the Salamander family and the Salamander genus. An adult salamander catches its prey by abruptly throwing its whole body forward, after which it actively tries to swallow the caught victim whole.

Salamander – This amphibian animal, which people were afraid of even in ancient times. Myths were created about her and mystical abilities were attributed to her. This is mainly due to its toxicity and bizarre coloring. If you translate her name from the Persian language, it means “burning from within.”

Spreading

Lives in Europe from Spain and Portugal in the west to western Russia, Turkey and Israel in the east. Some salamanders live exclusively in water and differ from their relatives by well-formed gills, for example, the Chinese giant salamander is a representative of the family cryptobranchs. Salamanders belonging to the family of cryptobranchs live in the United States of America, China and Japan.

Family lungless salamanders in the process of evolution, it completely lost its lungs, without gaining gills. Therefore, members of the family have to breathe using the skin and mucous membranes of the mouth. These salamanders live in tropical and subtropical forests, in the mountains and lowlands, on plantations and in village gardens. Lungless salamanders are inhabitants of predominantly New World countries: they are distributed in areas covering the mountainous and wooded areas of Canada, including the tropics and subtropics of Bolivia and Brazil. Several species live in European countries, and only one species (lat. Karsenia koreana) can be found in South Korea.

Representatives of the family real salamanders, leading mainly terrestrial existence, have respiratory system, represented by a pair of well-developed lungs. True salamanders are widespread throughout Europe, living in the north-west African continent, in Asia Minor and China, small species populations are found in Indochina and India, the range also covers areas from southern Canada to northern Mexico. Only four species of salamanders live in Russia.

Appearance

All salamanders are similar in structure: they have an elongated body, a long tail, underdeveloped limbs and a small head. These animals move much better in water (as already mentioned, this mainly refers to the lungless type), precisely because of their short and undeveloped legs. Such tailed amphibians are very interesting due to their variety of colors and sizes: in nature you can find amazing representatives of some species that really look like miniature dragons.

An animal belonging to any type of salamander has movable eyelids, thanks to which it can examine the situation around it.

In addition, such tailed amphibians have very poorly developed jaws, and in general the oral region is not conducive to eating solid food. The fire salamander has a rather unusual coloring that will definitely attract the attention of any unlucky tourist. But behind the bright appearance lies a toxic poison that can kill several living creatures at once.

Most of all, this dangerous animal resembles a familiar lizard, for example, a gecko, while the differences between them are easily noticeable upon closer examination. It’s not just about the colors, which are more prominent in salamanders, but also about other factors. Poisonous amphibians have a slimy, long body and bright eyes.

In many myths, the salamander is designated as a servant of dark forces. Partly because of its danger to surrounding creatures, but also because of its unusual appearance, any representative of the family in the past was considered a serious threat to people. At the same time, the poison of this amphibian cannot kill a person; the maximum effect after it is a burn.

Salamander species

The modern classification includes several hundred species of salamanders, which belong to different families. Below is a description of several varieties of salamanders:

, she's the same spotted salamander or common salamander (lat. Salamandra salamandra) is the most numerous species on European territory, whose representatives are distinguished by their large size, long life expectancy (up to 50 years in captivity) and bright aposematic (warning) coloring. The length of the salamander, including the tail, ranges from 23 to 30 cm. The main color of the body is black, strewn with contrasting orange or yellow spots, which are located evenly throughout the body, but have an irregular shape. Symmetry is present only on the paws and head. The fire salamander is distinguished from many members of the family by viviparity and fear of water. Animals are forced to descend into reservoirs only during the breeding season.

Lusitanian salamander (golden-striped salamander) (lat. Chioglossa lusitanica)– rare view an amphibian, whose representatives grow up to 15-16 cm in length, but have a very long tail, accounting for 2/3 of the total body length. The color of the salamander is black, with 2 thin golden stripes or golden spots located in a row along the ridge. The entire surface of the back is dotted with small blue specks. Distinctive feature animal is that the Lusitanian salamander catches prey with the help of a tongue thrown forward, as frogs do. The salamander lives exclusively in the northern regions of Spain and Portugal.

Alpine salamander (black salamander) (lat. Salamandra atra) Outwardly it resembles a fiery one, but is distinguished by a more graceful body and uniform black skin color. The body length of adult animals reaches 9-14 cm (sometimes 18 cm). Alpine salamanders live at altitudes of up to 700 meters above sea level, preferring rocky landscapes and the banks of mountain streams. The species' range extends through the central and eastern regions of the Alpine ranges: from Switzerland and Austria to Serbia, Croatia and Montenegro.

Spectacled salamander, she's the same Tarantolina(lat. Salamandrina terdigitata) is distinguished by a V-shaped pattern located on the head, the shape of which resembles glasses. The body color is dark brown, almost black; the “spectacles” can be red, yellow or white. The salamander's abdomen is bright red, which the animal demonstrates to the enemy as a frightening technique. The range of the species is extremely narrow: the spectacled salamander can only be found in the south of Italy, in wet forests Apennine mountains.

Caucasian salamander (lat. Mertensiella caucasica)– a rare species of long-tailed salamanders with a body length of no more than 15 cm, most which makes up the tail. The body is narrow, brown or black, and in most representatives of the species it is covered with bright yellow oval spots, which resembles a fire salamander. But unlike the latter, the Caucasian salamander moves quickly, like a lizard, and swims well. The animal is classified as vulnerable and lives exclusively in wooded areas and along the banks of water bodies in Turkey and Georgia.

Thin salamander (lat. Plethodon richmondi) It is distinguished by a thick head, graceful physique and strong, developed legs. The salamander's body length ranges from 7.5 to 14.5 cm. The body is brown or black and covered with silvery spots. The salamander lives in the northeastern states of the USA (Tennessee, Virginia, Kentucky).

Spring salamander (lat. Gyrinophilus porphyriticus) extremely prolific and capable of laying up to 132 eggs. The body, growing from 12 to 23 cm in length, is distinguished by a bright red or orange-yellow color with small dark spots. The salamander lives in the United States and Canada in the mountainous regions of the Appalachians.

Pacific salamander (lat. Ensatina eschscholtzii) It is distinguished by a small thick head, a strong slender body about 14.5 cm long and wrinkled skin on the sides, forming small folds. A typical inhabitant of the mountain landscapes of Canada, the USA and Mexico.

Tree salamander (lat. Aneides lugubris) grows in length from 7 to 12 cm and has an inconspicuous light or dark brown color. The salamander has a muscular tail, on which it rests, deftly climbing trees, jumping well over short distances and squeaking loudly. The species' narrow habitat is limited American state California and the Mexican state of Baja California.

Character and lifestyle of the salamander

Salamanders, although they are loners, gather in groups before hibernation in October. To survive this unfavorable period for them together on land, in heaps of fallen leaves.

They hunt mainly at night, and during the day they hide in shelters from direct rays of the sun. As a rule, there should be a body of water near their habitat. They overtake their prey with a sharp jerk and cover it with their body. After a short struggle, the victim is swallowed whole.

The salamander has many natural enemies; in order to escape, the animal leaves its tail or limbs in their claws and teeth and quickly runs away.

Although these amphibians are poisonous, their secretion does not cause mortal harm to humans. It can only cause irritation on the hands, and if it gets on the mucous membranes, it can burn the mouth or eyes. Therefore, after touching an amphibian, you need to wash your hands well so as not to harm yourself through carelessness.

Today, many people want to keep this mythical amphibian at home. You can buy fire salamanders in special nurseries or pet stores. They will need a large horizontal terrarium to live. A mixture of leaves, sphagnum and peat is usually poured onto its bottom. There is a small pond inside. The lighting should be dim and the temperature should not exceed 25 degrees.

What do salamanders eat?

They are classified as nocturnal inhabitants. IN wildlife They go hunting at night. From night until dawn they are able to track their prey. To get food, salamanders attack the prey with their whole body and then try to swallow it whole.

The diet of the animals depends on the habitat. Individuals living in water feed small fish, snails, crayfish, mollusks, crabs, as well as small insects, amphibians, and mammals.

Living on the ground, the salamander hunts larvae, snails, worms, slugs, and also eats various insects. Among them: butterflies, mosquitoes, spiders and flies. Large representatives of the family catch small newts and young frogs.

Salamander reproduction and lifespan

On average, salamanders live about 20 years, the duration depends on the size of the particular species. Small species reach sexual maturity by 3 years, and large ones by 5 years.

Hypnobranchs lay eggs, and true salamanders are viviparous or ovoviviparous.

Reproduction: males in mating season very active and ready to attack any moving object similar to a female, they also fight with each other for the female’s attention. Fertilization is internal, occurring either on land or in water. Shortly before the larvae hatch, the females enter the water. Large larvae located in the womb of the salamander mother eat their sisters and brothers, who turn out to be slightly smaller in stature. The larvae have no connection with the mother; she gives them nothing except shelter. The usual fertility of a female is 6-30 larvae.
Season/breeding period: from spring to autumn.
Puberty: occurs at the age of 3-4 years.
Courtship ritual: the male grasps the female from below. The spermatophore is deposited on the female’s body, and the male, helping her, moves it with his paws closer to the cloaca. The female captures the spermatophore with the cloaca.
Egg incubation: lasts 8-10 months.
Development: in water, the female salamander gives birth to almost fully formed larvae (weight about 0.2 g, length 25-30 mm). They have three pairs of feathery external gills, visible at the base of the limbs yellow spots, the tail is long, flattened, trimmed with a wide fin fold, which turns into a crest on the back. The head is large, round, the body is high, laterally compressed. Fire salamander larvae are predators and often engage in cannibalism. The larval period lasts all summer, metamorphosis ends in August-September, with a larval length of 50-60 mm. Fully formed small salamanders begin to breathe with their lungs and leave the pond. Before the end of metamorphosis, the larvae begin to crawl along the bottom, often rising to the surface of the water for air.

These amphibians are kept in a terrarium at home. It is necessary to fill the bottom with soil. It should be a mixture of soil, moss, coal and peat. Salamanders love to burrow into moss. But it dries out quite quickly. Therefore, it needs to be updated periodically. To create as close as possible to natural conditions It’s important to place one more thing in your pet’s house. These are dry driftwood, stones, and it is also good to plant several living plants.

The amphibian enjoys taking baths. Therefore, it is necessary to place a pond in the terrarium. Be sure to keep it clean. Change the water and rinse the container from time to time. It is not recommended to place two males in one house. The ideal option is several females and one male.

The salamander does not tolerate heat very well. Therefore, it is best to place the terrarium in dark places. For lighting, use fluorescent lamps, which must be purchased additionally. Buy a humidifier too. The humidity in the pet's home must be constantly maintained at a level of at least 75%.

It is often not recommended to pick up an amphibian. Animals do not like too much tactile contact. In addition, they secrete a secretion that can cause irritation on the skin. It is important to create a balanced diet for your pet. Despite being kept in captivity, salamanders have an excellent appetite. The main thing is not to overfeed them. You need to give food 2 times a day. Please note that pets may completely refuse to eat for several days, or even weeks. This is normal before shedding and during hot weather.

The main diet of salamanders should consist of live insects. These are slugs, butterflies, beetles, crickets, caterpillars and flies. Sometimes you can give some fresh fish, beef liver or heart - also raw.

Salamander breeding

Puberty in salamanders occurs at the age of two to four years, usually when they reach a length of 12-14 cm. Mating occurs after wintering. Therefore, if you plan to breed amphibians, then they need to create a wintering area artificially - first lower the temperature to +8...+14 degrees, and then (in April) raise it to +18...+23. Plus, you can place more items in the terrarium where the couple can hide. During wintering, food is not offered to amphibians.

Mating begins in April-May. Salamanders are viviparous animals, so 9-10 months after fertilization, the female will lay larvae in the water. The number of larvae can reach 25-30.

Immediately after birth, the babies will need to be placed in a separate aquarium with mandatory aeration and filtration and maintaining a water temperature of +12-17 degrees. The aquarium must have a dry area. The babies need to be fed with corret, cyclops, daphnia, etc. After three to five months, the babies will reach a size of 5 cm and will be able to go onto land.

Health and characteristic diseases

Diseases characteristic of tailed amphibians:

If during molting you notice that your salamander is passive and often freezes, there is no need to worry. This is normal during this period. You just need to leave her alone and not pick her up. The amphibian falls into a state of torpor and winter time, and also during bad weather. The salamander is an excellent exotic pet.

Having such a miracle in your home, you will definitely not be bored, because observing the behavior of an exotic animal brings great pleasure. The amphibian feels great in captivity, does not require special care and does not cause any problems in the form of noise, dirt or other discomfort. It can be started by a beginner. You can purchase a salamander for between $15 and $40.

The fire salamander, like all species from this family, has a toxic venom that is found on the surface of its skin. It is secreted by the parotid glands, and this process occurs constantly. The peculiarity is that if, for example, a dog eats a salamander, it will soon die.
The poison of these animals is called salamandrin in chemistry. It is really dangerous for humans only when consumed internally, which is why the use of these amphibians as food is prohibited. It is also noteworthy that they use their poison exclusively for the purpose of self-defense, and not for hunting.
The giant salamander prefers to be in water, or to be more precise: in cold and fast-flowing mountain streams. And, despite its large size, this animal does not disdain to feed on insects and crustaceans, alternating them with fish. The activity period of this species is at night.
All salamanders have the ability to regenerate not only the tail, but also the rest of the limbs. In this feature they resemble lizards, but in this factor they are also ahead of them in development.
They say the fire (spotted) salamander only reproduces when there is a strong thunderstorm. Similarly, during riots, ignorant people try to achieve some position in society.
According to German mythology, this family of amphibians personifies the spirit of fire. Moreover, the Germans in their stories attribute to salamanders the ability to tolerate combustion temperatures without any damage. From the point of view of the Christian faith, these creatures are messengers of the devil. And indeed, judging by the way the salamander looks, one might get such an impression.
Many species are listed in the Red Book as they are endangered. This is due to the fact that animals are hunted to obtain poison. And in certain countries their meat is considered a delicacy.
The official symbol of Alabama (USA) is the burrow salamander.
IN sunny days the amphibian does not leave the cool and dark shelter. Those who plan to commit a crime under cover of night behave in a similar way.
The salamander is not a lizard, but belongs to the class of amphibians. In the same way, one should not confuse foul language with a demon from the depths of hell.
If hair falls out from the venom of a spotted salamander, then a person’s honor and good name are lost from slander.
Beautiful spots on the back of an animal can symbolize hypocrisy, which always wears an attractive mask.

Video

The salamander is a large amphibian. Its relatives are the frog and the toad. But in appearance it looks like a lizard (which is a reptile). However, unlike a lizard, a salamander has no scales or claws, and its skin is always moist. The salamander secretes a poisonous liquid that protects it from predators. The salamander belongs to the tailed amphibians and is found in damp places.
The smallest salamanders are approximately 5 cm long, the largest reach 50 cm. The largest salamander in the world is the Chinese giant salamander. The length of its body can be almost 2 m.
Small animals that have tasted a salamander immediately die, and larger ones, having been poisoned, become seriously ill for a long time. It is impossible to get poisoned by the poison of this amphibian if you touch its body with your hands. However, if a person touches the salamander, and then touches the eyes, he can go blind!

Life expectancy varies among different salamander species. The smallest individuals live from one to several years. Large salamanders live on average 20-30 years, and the Chinese giant salamander lives more than 50.
Both aquatic and terrestrial salamanders need moisture to live and reproduce: the female lays eggs in water, and her larvae lead an aquatic lifestyle. Salamanders try to hide from the heat: they are mainly active at night, and during the day they hide in dark and damp places.
The age of puberty occurs at 3 years of age. Salamanders breed throughout the year, but more often in the spring. After internal fertilization, the eggs develop inside the female's body (ovoviviparity). Some species of salamanders are oviparous (they lay eggs).
10 months after fertilization, the female gives birth to 10 to 50 aquatic larvae in the water. As the larvae grow, they develop lungs. After 3-4 months, when the lungs are fully developed, young salamanders crawl ashore and become terrestrial animals.
If the animal fails to hide from the predator, the salamander leaves its tail in its claws and runs away. Soon her tail will grow back, but it will already be shorter than the previous one. Thanks to their poisonous secretions, salamanders have few enemies. Main danger- disappearance of breeding sites. This is due to economic activity people in the territories where these amphibians live.
All salamanders are predators. Salamander larvae eat tadpoles and other small aquatic invertebrates. Adult salamanders feed on insects, worms and snails. Salamanders benefit people. They feed on pests of gardens and vegetable gardens: snails, spiders, insects.
Salamanders lead a solitary lifestyle most of the time. However, they go into hibernation in groups. Some species can make specific sounds.

Aquatic salamanders
Some salamanders spend their entire lives in water. Many of them (not all!) retain gills throughout their lives. Entirely aquatic salamanders are found primarily in North America, Europe, and East Asia. These include the largest of all living amphibians. Cryptobranchidae, like giant ambystomata, belong to the family Cryptobranchidae. Proteas, amphiums, American proteas and sirenians belong to their own families. The giant salamander lives in water and comes up for air every 6-10 minutes. Axolotl - unusual representative mainly of the terrestrial family Ambystomidae. Whole aquatic salamanders should be kept in 21°C water, with plants and rocks to hide under, and a heavy lid to prevent escape. Aquariums should be cleaned frequently and filled with chlorine-free water.
Aquatic salamanders include:
1. Allegheny cryptobranch (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis) inhabitant of the eastern United States. Size 76 cm, gray color, eats meat, fish, dog food. The depth of water in the terrarium is 30-46 cm.
2. European proteus (Proteus anguinus) inhabitant of southern Europe, size 30 cm, white color, eats tubifex and other worms. The terrarium requires shade and a temperature below 10°C.
3. Axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) lives in Mexico, size 22.5 cm, color brown or white with large feathery gills. It loses them if you give the animal an extract of the thyroid gland and if it then lives on land, like other ambystomas, both forms can reproduce. Can live up to 20 years, eats worms, slugs, etc.
4. Amphiuma eel (Amphiuma means) inhabitant of the southeastern United States, size 76 cm, brown-black color, does not like bright light, bites, eats worms, fish, shellfish, etc.
5. American proteus (Necturus maculosus) lives in the east North America, size 33 cm, brown color, with gills. Lives long, eats worms, meat, fish. An aquarium requires an air pump.
6. Great siren (Siren lacertina) inhabitant of the southeastern United States, size 76 cm, eel-like body, with gills and only forelimbs. Olive, grey. Eats worms and raw meat.

Land salamanders
Hardy terrestrial salamanders are among the most ornamental and popular amphibians that are easy to keep at home. Here we look at members of the family Salamandridae and Ambystomidae (ambystomidae). The fire and alpine salamanders give birth to live young - the first in water at a depth of 2.5 cm, the second on wet ground. Ambystoma usually lay their eggs in water.
1. The most striking species in Europe is the black and yellow fire salamander. Its color may vary depending on the region. The size, shape and number of spots are not always the same. Along with spotted salamanders in Europe there are individuals with yellow stripes, and sometimes completely yellow. Fire salamanders from southern Europe may have red stripes, while other salamanders have red spots on their bellies. The fire salamander also lives in southeast Asia, northern Africa.
Spotted fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra). Body length is usually about 20-22 cm; shiny, black with yellow or orange-red spots of irregular shape. On the head of the salamander, behind the eyes, on the sides of the body along the ridge, there are glands and pores that secrete a poisonous secretion.
Spotted salamander - characteristic appearance hilly terrain and mountain region, lives in wooded valleys with watercourses, avoids dry and open places. It is active mainly at night, and in rainy weather and during the day. The body is wet and cold, but at the same time searingly hot thanks to the neurotoxic poison that its glands secrete. The salamander cannot harm human health, although getting its secretions into the eyes, mucous membranes or unhealed scratches can cause a sensitive burning sensation and irritation.
The timing of mating can be greatly extended throughout the entire period of activity; internal fertilization: after a rather difficult marriage ritual and embraces, the male deposits a spermatophore - a mucous sac with sperm - on the soil. And the female presses her belly to the soil and captures the spermatophore with the cloaca. In most cases, females give birth to larvae (rarely eggs), place them in the oxygen-rich water of streams, where during their development - from two months to two years - they feed on small aquatic animals.
A moist, shaded aquarium with moss and a bowl of water is required for maintenance.
2. The Alpine salamander (Salamandra atra) lives in Europe. 16 cm in size. Live young are born on land. They feed on slugs and worms. Keep at home in cool conditions, overwinter.
3. Tiger Ambystoma (Ambystoma tigrinum) lives in the USA, body length 18 cm, dark color with pale brownish spots. Keep it at home like a fire salamander.
4. Marbled Ambystoma (Ambystoma oracitis) lives in the eastern United States, body length 11 cm, color black and whitish. Keep it at home like a fire salamander.

Lungless salamanders
Salamanders in the family Plethodontidae do not have lungs as adults and breathe through their skin and mouth. It is found almost exclusively in the New World big family The usually graceful, seemingly feeble creatures include both aquatic and terrestrial forms. The latter require moisture, coolness and insects for nutrition. Small representatives need live enchytraeids and Tubifex (tubifex).
1. Silver salamander (Plethodon glutinosus) lives in the eastern United States, body size 17 cm, black with spots, sticky skin. Eats tubifex, slugs, etc. Keep at home in cool, damp conditions.
2. Red false newt (Pseudotriton ruber) lives in the eastern United States, body size 15 cm, reddish color with black spots. Life requires coolness, moist moss, bark and shallow water.
3. The dark salamander (Desmognathus fuscus) lives in the eastern United States, body size 11 cm, brown or gray color, lives around mountain rivers.
4. Pacific salamander (Ensatina eschscholtzii) lives in the eastern United States, body size 14 cm, brown color with a pale belly, moist wooded habitats.

Fire Salamander

Magnitude	Body length up to 28 cm
Signs	A long amphibian with a thick, rounded tail; skin black with yellow and orange spots and stripes
Nutrition	Worms, molluscs, insects and their larvae
Reproduction	Pairing in early spring and in summer; the female lays 30-70 larvae in shallow water; depending on environmental conditions, larvae develop into adults within several months or 2-3 years
Habitats	Lives in damp forests near streams, springs and ponds; with the exception of Great Britain and Scandinavia, distributed throughout Europe, as well as in North-West Africa and some areas of South-West Asia

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