Hynobiidae (see family information on Tree of Life site)
Small to medium size (with Ranodon reaching up to 200 mm) terrestrial or aquatic salamanders that are distributed in Asia, with one species entering European Russia. All species have external fertilization and aquatic larvae. Recent studies place this group as sister group to the Cryptobranchidae. Members of this assemblage are divided into two subfamilies, the Protohynobiinae (Protohynobius) and Hynobiinae (all others); there are currently 10 recognized genera. Larvae metamorphose completely into adults with eye lids and no gill slits or larval teeth. Onychodactylus (which also lacks lungs), Liua shihi, and a few Batrachuperus have claws or horny covers on their hands allowing them to grasp onto slippery rocks in their fast stream habitats. Externally, most species have a generalized tetrapod morphology but a few have long legs and a long tail. Vomerine teeth (located on the roof of the mouth) are useful characters in distinguishing species and genera from one another. Hynobius retardatus, as well as other species, have displayed a cannibalistic larvae morphology in which they develop wider heads and may eat salamander (and frog) larvae. There are no derived morphological features (synapomorphies) for this group, but they do show the following characters: 1) septomaxillae present; 2) lacrimal present; 3) vomerine teeth not parallel to marginal teeth row; 4) ribs unicapitate.
Paradactylodon mustersi
Photo by Max Sparreboom
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Genus Batrachuperus (5 species)
Batrachuperus karlschmidti species account no photos no range maps no sounds Batrachuperus londongensis species account photos range maps no sounds Batrachuperus pinchonii species account photos range maps no sounds Batrachuperus tibetanus species account photos range maps no sounds Batrachuperus yenyuanensis species account no photos range maps no sounds
Genus Hynobius (32 species)
Genus Liua (2 species)
Liua shihi species account photos range maps no sounds Liua tsinpaensis species account no photos range maps no sounds
Genus Onychodactylus (2 species)
Onychodactylus fischeri species account photos range maps no sounds Onychodactylus japonicus species account photos range maps no sounds
Genus Pachyhynobius (1 species)
Pachyhynobius shangchengensis species account photos range maps no sounds
Genus Paradactylodon (3 species)
Paradactylodon gorganensis species account photos range maps no sounds Paradactylodon mustersi species account photos no range maps no sounds Paradactylodon persicus species account photos range maps no sounds
Genus Protohynobius (1 species)
Protohynobius puxiongensis species account no photos no range maps no sounds
Genus Pseudohynobius (3 species)
Pseudohynobius flavomaculatus species account no photos range maps no sounds Pseudohynobius kuankuoshuiensis no species account no photos no range maps no sounds Pseudohynobius shuichengensis species account no photos no range maps no sounds
Genus Ranodon (1 species)
Ranodon sibiricus species account photos range maps no sounds
Genus Salamandrella (2 species)
Salamandrella keyserlingii species account photos range maps no sounds Salamandrella schrenckii species account no photos no range maps no sounds
Citation: AmphibiaWeb: Information on amphibian biology and conservation. [web application]. 2008. Berkeley, California: AmphibiaWeb. Available: http://amphibiaweb.org/. (Accessed: 2008).
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