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Animals & Nature
salamander
amphibian
red-backed salamander (Plethodon cinereus )
Category:
Animals & Nature
- Related Topics:
- Sirenoidea
- Phaeognathus
- Oedipina
- Cryptobranchoidea
- Salamandroidea
salamander, (order Caudata), any member of a group of about 740 species of amphibians that have tails and that constitute the order Caudata. The order comprises 10 families, among which are newts and salamanders proper (family Salamandridae) as well as hellbenders, mud puppies, and lungless salamanders. They most commonly occur in freshwater and damp woodlands, principally in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. A brief treatment of salamanders follows. For more complete treatments, see caudata and amphibian. Salamanders are generally short-bodied, four-legged, moist-skinned animals, about 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 inches) long. Many are camouflaged, whereas others are ...(100 of 369 words)