Description
Hynobius takedai has a snout to vent length of 52-67 mm and a total length of 98-124 mm. It usually has 12 costal grooves. Its limbs are relatively short and when the forelimb and the hindlimb are adpressed to the flank, there is a space of 0.5-2 costal grooves between the tips of the toes. Its dorsal color is dark to yellowish brown and females generally have black blotches.

H. takedai was described as a distinct species by Matsui and Miyazaki (1984). The shallow U-shape of its vomerine teeth, its slightly longer limbs, and its relatively stable number of costal grooves distinguish it from the similar species H. abei (Goris and Maeda 2004).

Distribution and Habitat

Country distribution from AmphibiaWeb's database: Japan

View distribution map in BerkeleyMapper.

Hynobius takedai is found in the Noto Peninsula of Ishikawa Prefecture and the adjoining hilly country of Toyama Prefecture, inhabiting forest fringes on low hills. Both juveniles and adults live on land in the vicinity of ditches and temporary pools (Goris and Maeda 2004). [3684]

Life History, Abundance, Activity, and Special Behaviors

Hynobius takedai belongs to the family Hynobiidae, which is one of only two salamander families exhibiting external fertilization of eggs. This species breeds from January to April in pools of water from melting snow at the edge of forested areas. Large males may establish a territory from which they exclude other males. Two egg sacs are laid coiled around the base of reeds. The egg sacs have vague striations. The total number of eggs is 67-107. Most of the larvae metamorphose and leave the water by the onset of autumn (Goris and Maeda 2004).

Trends and Threats
Environmental destruction is leading to a reduction in population size of most local populations. Threats include water pollution, predators, and habitat destruction (particularly the destruction of breeding habitat). In Hakui City (Ishikawa Prefecture), where H. takedai is designated as a natural monument, conservation and population recovery efforts have begun (IUCN 2006). [3719]

Possible reasons for amphibian decline

General habitat alteration and loss
Habitat modification from deforestation, or logging related activities
Urbanization
Local pesticides, fertilizers, and pollutants
Predators (natural or introduced)

Comments
The takedai in the scientific name is a patronymic. The "Hokuriku" in the vernacular refers to an area of northwestern Honshu comprising of the prefectures of Ishikawa, Fukui, Niigata, and Toyama (Goris and Maeda 2004). [3684]

References

Goris, R.C. and Maeda, N. (2004). Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of Japan. Krieger Publishing Company, Malabar, Florida.

IUCN, Conservation International, and NatureServe. 2006. Global Amphibian Assessment. < www.globalamphibians.org >. Accessed on 28 November 2006.

Matsui, M., and Miyazaki, K. (1984). ''Hynobius takedai (Amphibia, Urodela), a new species of salamander from Japan.'' Zoological Sciences, 1, 665-671.

Species Account Citation: AmphibiaWeb 2007 Hynobius takedai: Hokuriku Sansho-uo <https://amphibiaweb.org/species/3897> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed Apr 18, 2024.

Citation: AmphibiaWeb. 2024. <https://amphibiaweb.org> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed 18 Apr 2024.

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