Classification

Taxonomy

Phylum & Genus

Phylum: Chordata
​Genus: Andrias

Order & Class

Order: Caudata
​Class: Amphibia

Family & Kingdom

Family: Cryptobranchidae
​Kingdom: Animalia

Introduction:

The Japanese Giant Salamander is the second largest currently living species of amphibian, after the Chinese Giant Salamander, Many say they have an ugly appearance and these salamanders are harmless. Their scientific name is ​Andrias japonicus.
They are usually spotted gray, black and creamed, and very wrinkly. The salamander has a very long body with a broad tail that has two pairs of legs on the front and back, relatively the save size. They can grow up to 1.5 (almost 5 feet) meters long and weigh 25 kg (about 55 pounds).
This salamander is mainly active at night (nocturnal) which means it relies on its touch and smell to locate its prey.

Diet:

Predators:

The giant amphibian feeds during the night and catches them with a rapid movement sideways of the mouth. They eat smaller salamanders, fish, crayfish, worms, and snails. It can go without weeks of food, due to their low metabolism. They are carnivorous, like other amphibians.

Breeding:

They lack natural competitors and don't have any predators when adults (other than humans). Introduced Chinese Giant Salamanders may be competing with Japanese Giant Salamanders.

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The Japanese GIant Salamander primarily breeds in late August and sometimes Chinese Giant Salamanders will interbreed with each other. Hundreds of them will come together in nesting sites, and the males there will compete visiously, sometimes resulting in death. When the females pair up with a male, then she will lay 400-500 eggs that are held together like beads. The males protect them from predators, such as fish until they in hatch in spring in about 12-15 weeks. It can take about 5 years until they become mature.

Habitat and Population:

They livc in small to large clean rivers around in forested areas. Adults of the species can thrive in a variety of different habitats, but may be unable to reproduce in them. They live rivers that are coldish, fast flowing that owns large amounts of oxygen in them.
The giant salamander's population is uncommom and decreasing.

Conservation:

The Japnese Giant Salamander is threatened by dam consturction of its habitat, artificial concrete riverbanks, and the alternation of their river courses. Any suitable habitat has been fragmented and are facing problems with the introduced Chinese Giant Salamander.
They are legaly protected in Japan and are desginated as a special monument. Their habitats are protcted in a few areas and the Asa Zoo helps to breed the species and rescues them from their habitas being destroyed.

Photos: ​http://www.arkive.org/japanese-giant-salamander/andrias-japonicus/image-G99392.html

Bibliography:
"Support the." Andrias Japonicus (Japanese Giant Salamander). IUCN Red List, n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2016. <http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/1273/0>.
"Japanese Giant Salamander Videos, Photos and Facts." ARKive. ARKive, n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2016. <http://www.arkive.org/japanese-giant-salamander/andrias-japonicus/>.

Site Published: December 5, 2016