Kingdom Animalia Subclass Lissamphibia Family Hynobiidae Higher classification Salamandrella | Phylum Chordata Order Caudata Genus Salamandrella Rank Species | |
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Scientific name Salamandrella keyserlingii Similar Salamandrella, Amphibians, Asiatic salamander, Salamander, Hynobius | ||
The Siberian salamander, Salamandrella keyserlingii, is a species of salamander found in Northeast Asia. It is found primarily in Siberia, in wet woods and riparian groves, with outlying populations also in northern Kazakhstan and Mongolia, northeastern China, and on the Korean Peninsula. It is believed to be extirpated from South Korea. An isolated population exists on Hokkaidō, Japan, in the Kushiro Shitsugen National Park. A breeding ground of Siberian salamanders in Paegam, South Hamgyong, is designated North Korean natural monument #360.
Adults are from 9.0 to 12.5 cm in length. Their bodies are bluish-brown in color, with a purple stripe along the back. Thin, dark brown stripes occur between and around the eyes, and also sometimes on the tail. Four clawless toes are on each foot. The tail is longer than the body.
A single egg sac contains 50-80 eggs on average, with a female typically laying up to 240 eggs in a season. The light-brown eggs hatch three to four weeks after being laid, releasing larval salamanders of 11–12 mm in length.
The species is known for surviving deep freezes (as low as -45 °C). In some cases, they have been known to remain frozen in permafrost for years, and upon thawing, walking off.
