Hong Kong Newt
Encyclopedia
Hong Kong Newt is the only species of salamander
(also known as the "tailed amphibian
"), found in Hong Kong
. Once thought to be endemic to the territory, the species has also been found in the coastal parts of Guangdong Province.
The newt is treated by some naturalists as a sub-species of Paramesotriton chinensis. However, some disagree such a classification based on the disjunctive distribution of the two, and the differences in their physical appearance and habitat preference.
s of humans. Small granules can be found throughout the body. A mid-dorsal skin ridge extends backwards from the neck through the anterior third of the tail. Two dorsolateral folds are also present.
The head is roughly triangular. The eyes have horizontal pupils. The tail is thin and flattened, with a thin red strip along the ventral border. The four legs are similar in size. Four and five unwebbed digits can be found at the anterior and posterior limbs respectively.
The tadpole
s of the newt have finger-like gill
s around their necks, seldom found in the tadpoles of frog
s and toad
s. The gills disappear completely after the metamorphosis.
When threatened it releases a toxic secretion and may also feign death, rolling onto its back and exposing its brightly coloured belly.
In the breeding season the male displays by beating its tail which develops a white or bluish stripe which is visible in dim light. Sperm is transferred to the female in a spermatophore. eggs
are laid singly and are wrapped in leaves.
, it is a protected species under Wild Animals Protection Ordinance Cap 170..
Salamander
Salamander is a common name of approximately 500 species of amphibians. They are typically characterized by a superficially lizard-like appearance, with their slender bodies, short noses, and long tails. All known fossils and extinct species fall under the order Caudata, while sometimes the extant...
(also known as the "tailed amphibian
Amphibian
Amphibians , are a class of vertebrate animals including animals such as toads, frogs, caecilians, and salamanders. They are characterized as non-amniote ectothermic tetrapods...
"), found in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. Once thought to be endemic to the territory, the species has also been found in the coastal parts of Guangdong Province.
The newt is treated by some naturalists as a sub-species of Paramesotriton chinensis. However, some disagree such a classification based on the disjunctive distribution of the two, and the differences in their physical appearance and habitat preference.
Physical descriptions
The snout-to-tail length of the newt is about 11 to 15 cm. The body colour ranges from light brown to dark brown, with patches of orange markings scattered on the ventral side. The patterns of the patches are unique for each individual, resembling the fingerprintFingerprint
A fingerprint in its narrow sense is an impression left by the friction ridges of a human finger. In a wider use of the term, fingerprints are the traces of an impression from the friction ridges of any part of a human hand. A print from the foot can also leave an impression of friction ridges...
s of humans. Small granules can be found throughout the body. A mid-dorsal skin ridge extends backwards from the neck through the anterior third of the tail. Two dorsolateral folds are also present.
The head is roughly triangular. The eyes have horizontal pupils. The tail is thin and flattened, with a thin red strip along the ventral border. The four legs are similar in size. Four and five unwebbed digits can be found at the anterior and posterior limbs respectively.
The tadpole
Tadpole
A tadpole or polliwog is the wholly aquatic larval stage in the life cycle of an amphibian, particularly that of a frog or toad.- Appellation :...
s of the newt have finger-like gill
Gill
A gill is a respiratory organ found in many aquatic organisms that extracts dissolved oxygen from water, afterward excreting carbon dioxide. The gills of some species such as hermit crabs have adapted to allow respiration on land provided they are kept moist...
s around their necks, seldom found in the tadpoles of frog
Frog
Frogs are amphibians in the order Anura , formerly referred to as Salientia . Most frogs are characterized by a short body, webbed digits , protruding eyes and the absence of a tail...
s and toad
Toad
A toad is any of a number of species of amphibians in the order Anura characterized by dry, leathery skin , short legs, and snoat-like parotoid glands...
s. The gills disappear completely after the metamorphosis.
When threatened it releases a toxic secretion and may also feign death, rolling onto its back and exposing its brightly coloured belly.
In the breeding season the male displays by beating its tail which develops a white or bluish stripe which is visible in dim light. Sperm is transferred to the female in a spermatophore. eggs
Egg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop. In most birds, reptiles, insects, molluscs, fish, and monotremes, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum, which is expelled from the body and permitted to develop outside the body until the developing...
are laid singly and are wrapped in leaves.
Conservation
In Hong KongHong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, it is a protected species under Wild Animals Protection Ordinance Cap 170..