Discovery of ex situ individuals of Andrias sligoi, an extremely endangered species and one of the largest amphibians worldwide.

The South China giant salamander, Andrias sligoi, is one of the largest extant amphibian species worldwide. It was recently distinguished from another Chinese species, the Chinese giant salamander, Andrias davidianus, which is considered Critically Endangered according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. It appears too late to save this extremely rare and large amphibian in situ.

Morphological differentiation in giant salamanders, Andrias japonicus, A. davidianus, and their hybrids (Urodela, Cryptobranchidae), and its taxonomic implications.

For a long time, it has been debated whether the two giant salamanders, Andrias japonicus from Japan and A. davidianus from China, are conspecific or heterospecific. Morphological information about their diagnostic characteristics has been limited, without considering sexual dimorphism and/or body size variation.

Larval Body Shape and Eye Size Variation in Japanese Toads (Anura: Bufonidae: ): An Ecological Implication for Lentic and Lotic Habitats.

Variation in morphological traits of anurans has evolved due to the pressures imposed by inhabiting different environments. The Japanese stream toad, , breeds in running water, such as mountain streams, where the larvae grow. This lotic-breeding habit of was suggested to have evolved from a lentic-breeding ancestor.

Osteological characteristics of the Setouchi salamander Hynobius setouchi (Urodela, Hynobiidae).

This study described the detailed osteological features of the Setouchi salamander Hynobius setouchi. H. setouchi, which is endemic to central Japan, was recently delineated from the wide range of H.

Taxonomic clarification and neotype designation of two Taiwanese salamanders (Amphibia, Urodela, Hynobiidae).

Taxonomic identification of two Taiwanese salamanders, Hynobius sonani (Maki, 1922), and H. formosanus Maki, 1922, was clarified. Based on the descriptions and measurement data in the original description, we confirmed that H.

Intraspecific Variation in the External and Skeletal Morphology of Matsui, Okawa, Tanabe et Misawa, 2019 (Amphibia: Urodela: Hynobiidae).

The hynobiid salamander genus is a basal taxon in the urodeles that plays a key role in understanding the evolution of sexual dimorphism in urodeles. We examined the age (juveniles vs. adults) and sexual differences in the external and skeletal morphology of a Japanese lentic breeding salamander, .