The Barred Tiger Salamander

SALAMANDER is a timid, harmless animal that looks like a lizard but is related to frogs and toads. It is a type of amphibian. Salamanders live on all the continents except Antarctica and Australia. They are most common in Asia, Europe, and North America.

Most salamanders are only a few inches or centimeters long. Most salamanders mate and lay their eggs in water but otherwise live on land. They tend to dwell in rotten logs, under rocks, in caves, and in other cool, dark, moist places.

Salamanders have a long tail that is used for swimming. Salamanders have a strong sense of smell, and most have a long, sticky tongue for catching food. They eat mainly worms and insects.

Like all amphibians, salamanders are cold-blooded--that is, their body temperature remains close to that of their environment. During cold periods, they burrow into soil or lie on the bottom of a pond, where they are sluggish and generally inactive.

After salamanders have hatched, they are called larvae. Salamander larvae look somewhat like frog tadpoles but have feathery gills at the sides of their heads. Salamander larvae change into adults through a gradual process called metamorphosis. The period of metamorphosis ranges from 42 days to five years, depending on the species. During this period, certain features of the larvae may disappear. For example, most salamanders lose the gills they have as larvae just before they change into adults. As adults, these salamanders breathe with lungs and through their skin.

from the World Book Encyclopedia, 1996

HOMEPAGE * SYMBOLS * SALAMANDER