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 (Hasumi 2002).

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 (Hasumi, 2002). The female lays two egg sacs at a time, each containing up to seventy eggs. Parental care is common.^[1]

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

Classification

Currently, 54 species are known. The following genera make up the Family Hynobiidae:

Subfamily Hynobiinae

• Genus Batrachuperus (Chinese Stream Salamanders)
  • Batrachuperus karlschmidti
  • Longdong Stream Salamander (Batrachuperus londongensis)
  • Batrachuperus taibaiensis
  • Alpine Stream Salamander (Batrachuperus tibetanus)
  • Yenyuan Stream Salamander (Batrachuperus yenyuanensis)
  • Western Chinese mountain salamander (Batrachuperus pinchonii)
• Genus Hynobius - (Asian Salamanders)
  • Abe's Salamander (Hynobius abei)
  • Amji's salamander (Hynobius amjiensis)
  • Arisian salamander (Hynobius arisanensis)
  • Odaigahara Salamander (Hynobius boulengeri)
  • Chinese salamander (Hynobius chinensis)
  • Oita Salamander (Hynobius dunni)
  • Formosan Salamander (Hynobius formosanus)
  • Taiwan Lesser Salamander (Hynobius fuca)
  • Guabangshan Salamander (Hynobius guabangshanensis)
  • Hakuba Salamander (Hynobius hidamontanus)
  • Akaishi Salamander (Hynobius katoi)
  • Hida Salamander (Hynobius kimurae)
  • Korean salamander (Hynobius leechii)
  • Tohoku Salamander (Hynobius lichenatus)
  • Liaoning Salamander (Hynobius mantschuriensis)
  • Xingan salamander (Hynobius maoershanensis)
  • Buchi Salamander (Hynobius naevius)
  • Japanese Clouded Salamander (Hynobius nebulosus)
  • Japanese Black Salamander (Hynobius nigrescens)
  • Oki Salamander (Hynobius okiensis)
  • Jeju salamander (Hynobius quelpaertensis)
  • Ezo Salamander (Hynobius retardus)
  • Sonan's Salamander (Hynobius sonani)
  • Amber Salamander (Hynobius stejnegeri)
  • Hokuriku Salamander (Hynobius takedai)
  • Mountain Salamander (Hynobius tenuis)
  • Tokyo Salamander (Hynobius tokyoensis)
  • Tsushima Salamander (Hynobius tsuensis)
  • Turkestanian Salamander (Hynobius turkestanicus)
  • Kori salamander (Hynobius yangi)
  • Yiwu Salamander (Hynobius yiwuensis)
  • Yunan Salamander (Hynobius yunanicus)
• Genus Liua (Wushan salamanders)
  • Wushan Salamander (Liua Shihi)
  • Tsinpa Salamander (Liua tsinpaensis)
• Genus Onychodactylus (clawed salamanders)
  • Chinese clawed salamander (Onychodactylus fischeri)
  • Japanese Clawed Salamander (Onychodactylus japonicus)
• Genus Pachyhynobius (Stout salamanders)
  • Shangcheng stout salamander (Pachyhynobius shangchengensis)
• Genus Paradactylodon (Middile eastern Stream Salamanders)
  • Gorgan Salamander (Paradactylodon gorganensis)
  • Persian Mountain Salamander (Paradactylodon persicus)
  • Pagham stream salamander (Paradactylodon mustersi)
• Genus Pseudohynobius
  • Yellow-spotted Salamander (Pseudohynobius flavomaculatus)
  • Jinfo Mountain Salamander (Pseudohynobius jinfo)
  • Kuankuoshui Salamander (Pseudohynobius kuankuoshuiensis)
  • Shuicheng Salamander (Pseudohynobius shiuchengensis)
• Genus Ranodon (Semirichensk salamanders)
  • Central Asian Salamander (Ranodon sibiricus)
• Genus Salamandrella (Siberian Salamanders)
  • Siberian salamander (Salamandrella kyserlingii)
  • Primorye Newt (Salamandrella tridactyla)

Subfamily Protohynobiinae

• Genus Protohynobius
  • Puxiong salamander ( Protohynobis puxiongensis)

References

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