The Asiatic salamanders (family Hynobiidae) are primitive salamanders found all over Asia, and in European Russia. They are closely related to the giant salamanders (family Cryptobranchidae), with which they form the suborder Cryptobranchoidea. About half of hynobiids are unique to Japan. ^[1]

Hynobiid salamanders practice external fertilization, or spawning. And, unlike other salamander families which reproduce internally, male hynobiids focus on egg sacs rather than females during breeding. ^[2] The female lays two egg sacs at a time, each containing up to 70 eggs. Parental care is common.^[3]

A few species have very reduced lungs, or no lungs at all. The tadpoles can sometimes have reduced external gills if they live in cold and very oxygen-rich water.

Classification

Currently, 54 species are known. These genera make up the Hynobiidae:

Subfamily Hynobiinae

• Genus Batrachuperus (Chinese stream salamanders)
  • Chiala mountain salamander (B. karlschmidti)
  • Longdong stream salamander (B. londongensis)
  • Taibai stream salamander (B. taibaiensis)
  • Alpine stream salamander (B. tibetanus)
  • Yenyuan stream salamander (B. yenyuanensis)
  • Western Chinese mountain salamander (B. pinchonii)
• Genus Hynobius - (Asian salamanders)
  • Abe's salamander (H. abei)
  • Amji's salamander ('H. amjiensis)
  • Alishan salamander (H. arisanensis)
  • Odaigahara salamander (H. boulengeri)
  • Chinese salamander (H. chinensis)
  • Oita salamander (H. dunni)
  • Formosan salamander (H. formosanus)
  • Taiwan lesser salamander (H. fuca)
  • Guabangshan salamander (H. guabangshanensis)
  • Hakuba salamander (H. hidamontanus)
  • Akaishi salamander (H. katoi)
  • Hida salamander (H. kimurae)
  • Korean salamander (H. leechii)
  • Tohoku salamander (H. lichenatus)
  • Liaoning salamander (H. mantschuriensis)
  • Xingan salamander (H. maoershanensis)
  • Buchi salamander (H. naevius)
  • Japanese clouded salamander (H. nebulosus)
  • Japanese black salamander (H. nigrescens)
  • Oki salamander (H. okiensis)
  • Jeju salamander (H. quelpaertensis)
  • Ezo salamander (H. retardus)
  • Sonan's salamander (H. sonani)
  • Amber salamander (H. stejnegeri)
  • Hokuriku salamander (H. takedai)
  • Tokyo salamander (H. tokyoensis)
  • Tsushima salamander (H. tsuensis)
  • Turkestanian salamander (H. turkestanicus)
  • Kori salamander (H. yangi)
  • Yiwu salamander (H. yiwuensis)
  • Yunan salamander (H. yunanicus)
• Genus Liua (Wushan salamanders)
  • Wushan salamander (L. shihi)
  • Tsinpa salamander (L. tsinpaensis)
• Genus Onychodactylus (clawed salamanders)
  • Fischer's clawed salamander (O. fischeri)
  • Japanese clawed salamander (O. japonicus)
• Genus Pachyhynobius (stout salamanders)
  • Shangcheng stout salamander (P. shangchengensis)
• Genus Paradactylodon (Middle Eastern stream salamanders)
  • Gorgan salamander (P. gorganensis)
  • Persian brook salamander (P. persicus)
  • Paghman stream salamander (P. mustersi)
• Genus Pseudohynobius
  • Yellow-spotted salamander (P. flavomaculatus)
  • Guizhou salamander (P. guizhouensis)
  • Jinfo Mountain salamander (P. jinfo)
  • Kuankuoshui salamander (P. kuankuoshuiensis)
  • Puxiong salamander (P. puxiongensis)
  • Shuicheng salamander (P. shiuchengensis)
• Genus Ranodon (Semirichensk salamanders)
  • Central Asian salamander (R. sibiricus)
• Genus Salamandrella (Siberian salamanders)
  • Siberian salamander (S. kyserlingii)
  • Primorye newt (S. tridactyla)

References

Hasumi, M. (2002). About hynobiids. Retrieved May 8, 2005 from [1].