Sword-tail newt: Difference between revisions
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The '''sword-tail newt''' (''Cynops ensicauda'') is an [[Endangered species|endangered]] species of [[true salamander]] from the [[Ryukyu Archipelago]] in Japan. It has recently been placed on Japan's Red List of Threatened Amphibians. Sword-tail newts may also be referred to as fire-bellied newts, not to be confused with the common [[Chinese fire belly newt|Chinese]] and [[Chinese fire belly newt|Japanese]] species. They can be differentiated from these two species by their |
The '''sword-tail newt''' (''Cynops ensicauda'') is an [[Endangered species|endangered]] species of [[true salamander]] from the [[Ryukyu Archipelago]] in Japan. It has recently been placed on Japan's Red List of Threatened Amphibians. Sword-tail newts are poisonous, and may also be referred to as fire-bellied newts due to the orange coloration of their underside, not to be confused with the common [[Chinese fire belly newt|Chinese]] and [[Chinese fire belly newt|Japanese]] species. They can be differentiated from these two species by their larger size, broader heads and smoother skin compared to Japanese fire-bellies. This newt ranges from brown to black above, occasionally with an orange dorsal stripe. Some individuals may have light spotting or speckling on their backs. |
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Sword-tailed newts can reach {{convert|12.8|cm|in|abbr=on}} in males and {{convert|18|cm|in|abbr=on}} in females.<ref name="caudata">[http://www.caudata.org/cc/species/Cynops/C_ensicauda.shtml Caudata Culture Species Entry - Cynops ensicauda<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> They are the largest living members of their genus.<ref name="caudata"/> Females and males look significantly different in appearance. Females have much longer tails that are actually longer than the rest of their bodies. Males’ tails are much shorter and sometimes display a whitish sheen during breeding season. |
Sword-tailed newts can reach {{convert|12.8|cm|in|abbr=on}} in males and {{convert|18|cm|in|abbr=on}} in females.<ref name="caudata">[http://www.caudata.org/cc/species/Cynops/C_ensicauda.shtml Caudata Culture Species Entry - Cynops ensicauda<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> They are the largest living members of their genus.<ref name="caudata"/> Females and males look significantly different in appearance. Females have much longer tails that are actually longer than the rest of their bodies. Males’ tails are much shorter and sometimes display a whitish sheen during breeding season. |
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Revision as of 17:18, 7 February 2021
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (February 2021) |
| Sword-tail newt | |
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| C. e. popei | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Urodela |
| Family: | Salamandridae |
| Genus: | Cynops |
| Species: | C. ensicauda
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| Binomial name | |
| Cynops ensicauda (Hallowell, 1860)
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| Synonyms[2] | |
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List
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The sword-tail newt (Cynops ensicauda) is an endangered species of true salamander from the Ryukyu Archipelago in Japan. It has recently been placed on Japan's Red List of Threatened Amphibians. Sword-tail newts are poisonous, and may also be referred to as fire-bellied newts due to the orange coloration of their underside, not to be confused with the common Chinese and Japanese species. They can be differentiated from these two species by their larger size, broader heads and smoother skin compared to Japanese fire-bellies. This newt ranges from brown to black above, occasionally with an orange dorsal stripe. Some individuals may have light spotting or speckling on their backs.
Sword-tailed newts can reach 12.8 cm (5.0 in) in males and 18 cm (7.1 in) in females.[3] They are the largest living members of their genus.[3] Females and males look significantly different in appearance. Females have much longer tails that are actually longer than the rest of their bodies. Males’ tails are much shorter and sometimes display a whitish sheen during breeding season.
Habitat and distribution
The sword-tailed newt is only found on the Ryukyu Archipelago, an island chain off the southern coast of Japan, as well as on many smaller surrounding islands. This newt's habitat is slow, cool, stagnant bodies of water. They are commonly found in man-made structures such as rice paddies, road-side ditches, and cattle waterholes.[3] The two known subspecies of sword-tailed newt are C. e. ensicauda and C. e. popei. Due to the subtropical climate of its native habitat, it is more tolerant of high temperatures than other Cynops. The sword-tailed newt has no predators, so deforestation and land development are the main reasons for their endangerment.
As of 2010, breeding grounds were being visited by 75% less newts than in 1996,[citation needed] and many of their breeding sites are in roadside ditches and gutters. They are highly territorial, making it difficult to relocate them.
Trends and threats
The populations of C. ensicauda have declined in recent years, especially because of habitat destruction due to land development. Large predatory fish of the genus Tilapia have been introduced into traditional breeding ponds. Even in locations where suitable forest habitat has been preserved, the construction of access roads with concrete drainage ditches kills many; the newts wander to forage on rainy days and may fall into the ditches, where they will die when the rain ceases (Goris and Maeda 2004).[4]
References
- ^ Kaneko & Matsui (2004). "Cynops ensicauda". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2004. Retrieved 11 May 2006.
{{cite journal}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) Database entry includes a range map and justification for why this species is labeled endangered - ^ "Cynops ensicauda". Amphibian Species of the World 5.5. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 8 September 2012.
- ^ a b c Caudata Culture Species Entry - Cynops ensicauda
- ^ "AmphibiaWeb - Cynops ensicauda". amphibiaweb.org. Retrieved 2017-03-03.