The largest amphibian living in the world
1. Name: Doll fish
Physical characteristics: The baby fish is a precious wild animal of Chinese specialties, the largest body shape, the body length is generally about 1 meter, the longest can reach 2 meters, the weight is 20-25 kg, the largest up to 50 kg. It has a grey-brown or dark brown dorsal surface and a yellow or orange ventral surface, many small wart-like projections, a flattened head, and a large, broad mouth.
Habits and behavior: The doll fish is a freshwater amphibian that makes a baby-like cry at night, hence the name "doll fish". Adults eat a large amount of food , including fish , frogs , crabs , snakes , shrimp , earthworms , aquatic insects , and sometimes birds and rodents.
Habitat and distribution: The baby fish is mainly distributed in the watershed of southern China, including the upper mountainous areas of the Yangtze River, Pearl River, Minjiang River, Wujiang River, Xiangjiang River, Gan River and other rivers and adjacent basins. They prefer to live in slow-flowing deep-water rivers, usually nesting in rock crevices, tree roots, sunken wood, etc. at the bottom of the river to lay eggs.
Conservation status: The baby fish is a rare species endemic to China and is endangered due to overfishing and environmental damage. At present, the Chinese government has listed it as a first-class protected animal, and has taken a variety of measures to protect its living environment and breeding.
The largest number of amphibians in the world
2. Name: Ji Frog
Physical characteristics: Ji frog is a genus of anurous frogs, small in size, gray-brown on the back, with symmetrical oblique dark brown patterns, oblique transverse stripes on the back of the limbs, and white ventral surface. The tympanic membrane is not visible, and males have a single ingestion of the external vocal sac.
Habits and behavior: Ji frogs are one of the most abundant amphibians, widely distributed, live mainly in warm tropical regions, and can survive on land and in water. They prefer to live near water or in humid places, and are often nocturnal and nocturnal. The call of the ji frog is loud and crisp, with many kinds of calls such as "cooing" and "quacking". They feed on insects, earthworms, small reptiles and other small amphibians.
Habitat and distribution: Ji frog is widely distributed, mainly in Asia, Africa and Europe. In China, the ji frog is widely distributed and is commonly found in mountainous areas, plains and gardens.
Conservation status: There are many species and numbers of ji frogs, and they are not seriously threatened at present, but their living environment is gradually being damaged due to the interference of human activities, and they need to be protected.
The largest amphibian in the history of the world
3. Name: Przewalski's sawtooth newt
Physical characteristics: Przewalski's sawtooth salamander is the largest amphibian in the history of life, reaching a body length of up to 9 meters and weighing up to 3 tons. Its body is long and flat, with a wide head and many serrated teeth inside its mouth. Przewalski's serrated axolotl has many small bony patches on its skin, allowing it to be more flexible when swimming.
Habits and behavior: Przewalski's sawtooth salamander lived in the late Permian 270 million years ago and is more accustomed to living in water than on land, because its limbs are short and can only drag its cumbersome belly and tail on land to crawl through muddy swamps. Once in the water, its strong tail gives it a strong thrust, allowing it to quickly grab any prey it wants to eat.
Habitat and distribution: Przewalski's sawtooth axolotl is extinct and fossils have been found in some strata in the Midwest and South of the United States.
Conservation status: Since Przewalski's sawtooth is extinct, no protection is required. However, we can learn about the ecological characteristics and evolutionary history of amphibians to better protect existing amphibians.
The cutest amphibian in the world
4. Mesai blunt-mouthed newt
Physical features: The axolotl has a slender and dark body with dark brown spots and short legs with four forelimbs and five-digit hind toes. Artificially bred albinism, white mutants, and mutants of other colors are common.
Habits and behavior: Hexagonal dinosaurs are a popular pet in the international market. They have an interesting name called "hexagonal dragon". The regenerative capacity is very strong, especially juveniles, which can regenerate any severed limb within a month.
Habitat and distribution: The salamander lives mainly in western North America, inhabiting mountain streams, rivers and lakes.
Conservation Status: The salamander is declining in the wild and is currently listed as endangered and in need of protection.
The most adaptable amphibian in the world
5. Toads
Physical features: The toad has rough skin and the back is covered with large and small pimples, which are sebaceous glands. The largest pair of these are the posterior auricular glands located above the tympanic membrane on the side of the head. The white venom secreted by these glands is the raw material for making toad pastry.
Habits and behaviors: Toads can live in both the highest and lowest parts of the world. During the breeding season, male toads make loud calls to attract females. Toads are carnivores that prey on small invertebrates such as insects, spiders, and earthworms.
Habitat and distribution: Toads are widely distributed and live in swamps, ponds, streams, meadows and other habitats around the world.
Conservation status: Some toad species are currently facing existential threats, such as the global toad (Great Toad).
The smallest amphibian in the world
6. Amau child frog
Physical features: At just 7.7 mm long, the Ama'u child frog is one of the smallest known amphibians in the world. The back is dark brown with irregular tan or rusty brown bumps, and the abdomen and sides are dark brown to slate gray with irregular blue-white spots. There are only 7 vertebrae , which is fewer than most species in the subfamily Star Frogs. Refers to partial degeneration of the toes. Proportionally, the eyes are larger and the snout is wider and shorter.
Habits and behavior: The Amau child frog is mainly active on the leaf surface, preying on insects and other small invertebrates. They are highly reproductive, reproducing several times a year.
Habitat and distribution: The Amau child frog is found in tropical rainforests in places such as Colombia and Ecuador in South America.
Conservation status: Due to its very small size and strong reproductive ability, the Ama'u child frog is not yet included in the list of protected animals.
The most poisonous amphibian in the world
7. Poison dart frog
Physical characteristics: The poison dart frog is one of the most beautiful frogs in the world, usually only 1~5 cm long, but very conspicuous, the color is black and bright red, yellow, orange, pink, green, blue combination. Inhabiting or near the ground, all belong to the poison frog family, but not all 170 species are poisonous.
Habits and behavior: The poison glands scattered throughout the body of the poison frog produce some alkaloids that affect the nervous system. The golden poison dart frog is one of the more toxic in the poison dart frog family, and one golden poison dart frog is enough to kill 10 adults. The poison dart frog is a diurnal animal that prefers to roam on branches, leaves, and trunks.
Habitat and distribution: The poison dart frog is found in the tropical rainforests of Central and South America, mainly in the canopy layer.
Conservation status: Due to human activities and ecological damage, the poison dart frog population is declining, and some poison dart frog species are currently facing survival threats and need to be protected.
The farthest jumping amphibian in the world
8. African giant frog
Physical characteristics: The African giant frog is a huge frog, adult males can weigh up to 3 kilograms, are about 30 centimeters long, spread their hind legs, and are almost 1 meter long. They have a triangular head and a flattened wide body with greenish-brown skin on the back with granular warts. The skin of the abdomen is light yellowish-green. The hind legs are long, the front legs are short and stout, and all feet have a wide webbed.
Habits and behavior: The African giant frog is the farthest jumping amphibian in the world, jumping up to 5 meters. They usually live in rivers, lakes and swamps, hunting insects, small vertebrates, and other invertebrates in the water and surrounding trees.
Habitat and distribution: The African giant frog is found in sub-Saharan Africa, including Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Zambia.
Conservation status: The African giant frog is listed as endangered by habitat destruction, pesticides and fishing and other human activities.
The most transparent amphibian in the world
9. Glass frog
Physical characteristics: The glass frog is an extremely transparent amphibian. When the background color is pale yellow-green, the belly skin of the glass frog becomes as transparent as glass. Their bodies are small, usually only a few centimeters long, and their bodies are flat. The skin of glass frogs is smooth and there are no obvious scales or warts.
Habits and behavior: Glass frogs are mostly arboreal, usually sleeping and breeding on leaves or on the stems of plants. They are nocturnal animals and usually rest during the day hiding under the leaves. Glass frogs are carnivores that feed on insects and other small arthropods.
Habitat and distribution: The glass frog is found in the rainforests of Central and South America, including countries such as Panama, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru and Brazil.
Conservation status: The habitat of the glass frog is threatened by rainforest destruction and overexploitation, as well as problems such as capture and illegal trade. The glass frog is listed as vulnerable.
The world's most hungry amphibian
10. Cave newts
Physical features: The cave newt is a small amphibian with an adult length of about 30 cm, white, bright red gills, and eyes hidden under the skin. Their skin is light yellow with no obvious color pattern and no pigment in the skin. The newt has short, stout limbs and a short tail.
Habits and behavior: The cave newt is the world's most hungry amphibian and can live without food for up to 6 years. They live in pitch-black caves, have no eyes, and cannot see anything. Nevertheless, cave salamanders can prey on small insects in order to sustain life. The life cycle of cave newts is as long as 20 years.
Habitat and distribution: Cave newts are found in burrows in Europe and Asia, including Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Conservation status: Cave salamanders are threatened by human activities such as habitat destruction, overmining and tourism exploitation. The cave newt is listed as a threatened species.