Small genus with one species found in Japan and one in China. Both are protected under CITES I. Neither is often seen in captivity, but more recently zoos and a very few private breeders have become interested in maintaining and breeding these magnificent creatures.
External characteristics of the genus are given by Zhao et al as follows: body large, no spiracle on head; distance between the nostrils less than half the distance between the eyes; tongue large; eyes small, no eyelids present; longitudinal skin fold along sides; vomerine teeth located anteriorly on vomer, parallel to maxillary teeth, teeth in long, arc-shaped row; no lacrimal. Lives in water for its entire life.
Regrettably there is very little other information readily accessible to English speakers on Andrias.
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| A. davidianus, Chinese Giant Salamander | A. japonicus, Japanese Giant Salamander |
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Distribution | Size | Notes |
| Andrias | ||||
| A. davidianus | Chinese Giant Salamander | E & C China (Guangxi, Guangdong, north to Qinghai and east to Jiangsu), poss. Taiwan | 5ft | Coloration: overall brown. |
| A. japonicus | Japanese Giant Salamander | Japan (Chugoku district, Shimane Prefecture) | 160cm | Found in mountain streams within its range. Longevity is 80-90 years. Coloration: overall mud brown with dark blotches across dorsum. Reproduction: eggs are laid during autumn. Larvae are sensitive to water quality. |
Studies on Chinese Salamanders, Er-mi Zhao, Qixiong Hu, Yaoming Zhang and Yuhua Yang, Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, 1988. Key English-language work on all the Caudata found in China.
Herpetology of China, Er-mi Zhao and Kraig Adler, SSAR, 1993. Catalogue of practically every reptile and amphibian species found in mainland China, Hongkong, Macao, Tibet and Taiwan. There are few details of the ecology of the animals, but readers are referred to a very comprehensive bibliography, and colour plates are provided for many of the creatures listed.
The DGHT publication "Salamandra" carried an account of the successful captive breeding of A. davidianus in Volume 33, 1/97.
Animal Life Encyclopedia Volume 5: Fishes and Amphibia, Grzimek,1975 provided details of the general appearance of the species.
The Andrias homepage - a very worthwhile Japanese site dedicated to A. japonicus. The site includes a bibliography of works and articles to do with the species.
The Cryptobranchid Interest Group, a very worthwhile project that deserves our support.
www.caudata.org has some very good pictures of A. japonicus.
www.rieo.net has a good close-up of A. davidianus, as has LivingUnderworld.
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