Tylototriton shanjing
Tylototriton shanjing | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Amphibia |
Order: | Urodela |
Family: | Salamandridae |
Genus: | Tylototriton |
Species: | T. shanjing
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Binomial name | |
Tylototriton shanjing Nussbaum, Brodie & Yang, 1995
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Tylototriton shanjing, the emperor newt, Mandarin newt or Mandarin salamander, is a highly toxic newt native to Yunnan and parts of South China. It is sometimes seen in private collections, and is sometimes available for sale at certain reptile and amphibian-specializing pet stores and occasionally through captive breeders.
Description
Tylototriton shanjing can grow up to 8 inches (20 cm) long. It has a ridged orange head with a darker, almost black body, with a single orange ridge running down its back to the tail-tip. This dorsal ridge is paralleled by a row of circular, orange bumps on both sides of the newt’s body—these are the poison glands. The tail and legs are the same shade of orange, which can vary based on population, diet, distribution, etc.[2]
Defense
Tylototriton shanjing might seem like easy prey because of its slow, almost lackadaisical movements; however, the bright orange coloration it displays is, in nature, generally a warning to potential predators that the animal is poisonous, even lethal, if ingested or bitten into. This vivid color warning-system is prevalent throughout amphibians, reptiles, invertebrates, some fish and plants, as well as in many types of
Range and habitat
Emperor newts live in central, western, and southern Yunnan, China, between 1,000 and 2,500 metres (3,300 and 8,200 ft) above sea level.[5]
They inhabit pools and slow-moving streams in subtropical forests.[6]
Diet
The emperor newt usually eats small invertebrates in its environment, such as crickets and worms. Emperor newts in captivity are typically given wax worms, crickets, and earth worms.
Taxonomy
For a long time, emperor newts were classified together with the
References
- . Retrieved 20 November 2021.
- ^ a b torontozoo.com ("Toronto Zoo > Meet the Animals > Fact Sheet". Archived from the original on 2006-11-11. Retrieved 2006-09-18.); accessed 9/18/06
- ^ detroitzoo.com (http://www.detroitzoo.org/Attractions/Amphibiville/Animals); accessed 9/18/06
- ^ Caudata.org (http://www.caudata.org/cc/articles/toxin2.shtml) Accessed 1/10/07
- ^ livingunderworld.com (http://www.livingunderworld.org/caudata/database/salamandridae/tylototriton/shanjiing); Accessed 11/4/06
- ^ tylototriton.org ("Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-07-02.
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: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)); Accessed 2/7/07