Hynobiidae (see family information on Tree of Life site)
54 species in 9 genera
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 no English account non-English account no photos no sound/video Batrachuperus londongensis no English account non-English account photos no sound/video Batrachuperus pinchonii English account non-English account photos no sound/video Batrachuperus tibetanus English account non-English account photos no sound/video Batrachuperus yenyuanensis English account non-English account no photos no sound/video
Genus Hynobius (32 species)
Genus Liua (2 species)
Liua shihi English account non-English account photos no sound/video Liua tsinpaensis English account non-English account no photos no sound/video
Genus Onychodactylus (2 species)
Onychodactylus fischeri English account non-English account photos no sound/video Onychodactylus japonicus English account non-English account photos no sound/video
Genus Pachyhynobius (1 species)
Pachyhynobius shangchengensis no English account non-English account photos no sound/video
Genus Paradactylodon (3 species)
Paradactylodon gorganensis English account no non-English account photos no sound/video Paradactylodon mustersi English account non-English account photos no sound/video Paradactylodon persicus English account non-English account photos no sound/video
Genus Pseudohynobius (6 species)
Pseudohynobius flavomaculatus English account non-English account no photos no sound/video Pseudohynobius guizhouensis no English account no non-English account no photos no sound/video Pseudohynobius jinfo English account no non-English account no photos no sound/video Pseudohynobius kuankuoshuiensis no English account no non-English account no photos no sound/video Pseudohynobius puxiongensis English account non-English account no photos no sound/video Pseudohynobius shuichengensis no English account non-English account no photos no sound/video
Genus Ranodon (1 species)
Ranodon sibiricus English account non-English account photos no sound/video
Genus Salamandrella (2 species)
Salamandrella keyserlingii English account non-English account photos no sound/video Salamandrella tridactyla no English account no non-English account no photos no sound/video
Citation: AmphibiaWeb: Information on amphibian biology and conservation. [web application]. 2012. Berkeley, California: AmphibiaWeb. Available: http://amphibiaweb.org/. (Accessed: 2012).
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