Amber-colored salamander facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Amber salamander |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Hynobius
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| Species: |
stejnegeri
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| Synonyms | |
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Hynobius yatsui |
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The amber salamander is a special type of salamander found only in Japan. It's also known as the amber-colored salamander or Stejneger's oriental salamander. Its scientific name is Hynobius stejnegeri. These unique creatures live in cool, temperate forests and rivers. Sadly, their homes are disappearing, which is a big problem for them.
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What Does the Amber Salamander Look Like?
As its name suggests, the amber salamander has a really cool look! It's mostly a dark, see-through brownish-black color. On top of that, it has bright amber (a yellowish-orange color) blotches, like splashes of paint. Its belly is lighter and doesn't have these blotches.
These salamanders are usually about 13.7 to 15.5 centimeters (about 5 to 6 inches) long from head to tail. Some have even been found to be almost 20 centimeters (nearly 8 inches) long! Their heads look oval from above, and their eyes stick out a bit. They have a strong, rounded body with 13 to 14 grooves along their sides. The amber salamander looks a bit like another salamander called Hynobius kimurae. However, the amber salamander has only four toes on its back feet.
About Its Scientific Name
For a while, scientists thought there were two different types of salamanders: Hynobius stejnegeri and Hynobius yatsui. But a recent study showed that they are actually the same species! So, Hynobius yatsui is now considered another name for Hynobius stejnegeri.
Scientists also found that some amber salamanders living in a place called Kyushu might be a completely new species. They are now called Hynobius ikioi. This shows how much we are still learning about these amazing animals!
Where Do Amber Salamanders Live?
The amber salamander lives only on the island of Kyushu in Japan. You can find them in the mountains of Kumamoto, Miyazaki, and northern Kagoshima. Different groups of amber salamanders are separated by natural barriers. These include rivers like the Gokase River and volcanoes like Aso Volcano and Kirishima Volcano. The Yatsushiro Sea also separates some groups.
They live in two main types of places:
- On land: They prefer cool, temperate forests in mountainous areas. These forests have broad-leaved evergreen trees and mixed trees.
- In water: They also live in wetlands, permanent rivers, streams, and creeks, even near waterfalls!
You can find their homes in mountain streams at high altitudes, usually between 500 and 1500 meters (about 1,600 to 4,900 feet) above sea level. They go back to the upstream parts of rivers to lay their eggs. This is also where their young, called larvae, grow up.
What Do They Eat?
Amber salamanders eat a variety of things. Their diet includes insects, spiders, worms, and small water creatures like insect larvae and crustaceans. Sometimes, they might even eat other salamanders if food is scarce.
Scientists think their unique amber and black color helps them hide. It might act as camouflage among fallen leaves on the forest floor. If this color pattern helps them avoid predators, it means nature has strongly selected for this special trait.
How Do Amber Salamanders Behave?
Male amber salamanders produce long egg sacs, usually 17 to 30 centimeters (about 7 to 12 inches) long. These are different from other salamander species. Each sac can hold between 21 and 57 eggs. The mother salamander stays close to her eggs until they hatch. This helps protect them from danger.
When the eggs hatch, the larvae are yellowish and have black claws on their fingers and toes. These young salamanders live in the stream and change as they grow. This change is called metamorphosis. Many larvae complete their metamorphosis and leave the stream in September and October of the same year they were born. However, some stay in the stream through the winter and only emerge the following spring or summer.
What Threats Do They Face?
The amber salamander faces many dangers. People sometimes hunt or trap them. Logging and harvesting wood also destroy their forest homes. Building roads, cutting down trees (deforestation), and pollution are also big problems.
Sadly, amber salamanders are sometimes used for medicine or food. Scientists also study them to learn about how livers work. In one experiment, when a mother salamander was removed from her eggs, the eggs disappeared. This suggests that freshwater crabs or other predators ate them. This shows how important the mother's protection is for the survival of her young.
Protecting the Amber Salamander
The area where amber salamanders live is getting smaller. Their populations are also spread out and separated. The quality of their habitat is constantly getting worse.
Because of these threats, the amber salamander was listed as "near threatened" by the Environment Agency of Japan in 2000. In 2021, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) also called it "near threatened." Now, the amber salamander is on the Earth's Endangered Creatures List.
The Kumamoto Prefecture in Japan has named it a natural monument. This means it's a special and protected animal in that area. It's very important to make sure that if any amber salamanders are taken from the wild, it's done in a way that doesn't harm the species. We need to work hard to protect these amazing creatures and their homes.
