# What is the biggest amphibian in the world



## bobo10 (Sep 10, 2010)

wonder what it could be.


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## stegriff (Feb 13, 2011)

my brothers girlfriend :lol2:


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## bothrops (Jan 7, 2007)

This......



The Japanese Giant Salamander:


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## Janos (Oct 26, 2009)

...I want one >.>.


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## JonnyB359 (Apr 3, 2011)

bothrops said:


> This......
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Gutted... beaten to the answer :lol2: But seriously... My brothers girlfriend!... Haha


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## spend_day (Apr 10, 2008)

I thought there was a bit of hoohar about the largest? between the japanese giant salamander Andrias japonicus and the chinese giant salamander Andrias davidianus

either way there both freaking massive


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## TommyBurt (Dec 14, 2009)

spend_day said:


> I thought there was a bit of hoohar about the largest? between the japanese giant salamander Andrias japonicus and the chinese giant salamander Andrias davidianus
> 
> either way there both freaking massive


 
the chinese salamander Andrias davidianus took the title i think


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## bothrops (Jan 7, 2007)

TommyBurt said:


> the chinese salamander Andrias davidianus took the title i think


Funnily enough I searched for the Chinese one to get the image! As the one in the image was Japanese, thought I'd go with that.

Either way - big Asian salamanders of the _Andrias _genus take the title!


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## sambridge15 (Nov 22, 2009)

pitty most hardly any reach the maximum size anymore due to over harvesting for food


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## TommyBurt (Dec 14, 2009)

sambridge15 said:


> pitty most hardly any reach the maximum size anymore due to over harvesting for food


 
this is true so there there are not many recorded measurements i have measurements from two books i have 

Andrias japonicus 4.7ft 1.2m

Andrias davidianus 5.9ft 1.5m 

the metre measurements were taken from a book called herpetology an introduction to the biology of reptiles and amphibians the ft ones were from wikipedia so just ignore those lol i also have a book saying about a 1.4m andrias japonicus so without further research into the two no one can tell which is the biggest

the andrias genus is very prehistoric looking if only i could get one in my garden pond lol


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## bobo10 (Sep 10, 2010)

that is one huge salamander, do people keep them in this country or are they protected, that thing is so big. :lol2:


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## bobo10 (Sep 10, 2010)

i couldnt see people having those as pets, they must eat loads.


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## TommyBurt (Dec 14, 2009)

no they are not on the pet trade they are extremely threatened there are some on show at very few zoos and aquariums in japan i think but hardly any in captivity they need running streams to survive hope they don't become extinct


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## phelsumaman (Aug 14, 2008)

Saw these on display at a zoo in Amsterdam, truly amazing animals


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## stegriff (Feb 13, 2011)

i hope the current situation in japan hasent done anything to some of there population with them releasing nuclear radiation and sea water flooding the land with that tsunami ,i seen a tv documentary once and they made special ramps up waterfalls for them to go up to there breeding grounds so they must be rare for a nation who are big into there collecting of wild animals for medicine purposes, to be helping them breed .


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## Mworks (Jun 17, 2009)

There is a very good video with lots of information on the Japanese species on our website here......................

Latest Amphibian News

you'll find it at the bottom of the page.

Regards
Marcus


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## TommyBurt (Dec 14, 2009)

stegriff said:


> i hope the current situation in japan hasent done anything to some of there population with them releasing nuclear radiation and sea water flooding the land with that tsunami ,i seen a tv documentary once and they made special ramps up waterfalls for them to go up to there breeding grounds so they must be rare for a nation who are big into there collecting of wild animals for medicine purposes, to be helping them breed .


good point i hope the high mountain streams protected them somewhat but amphibians are sensitive to chemicals is there any reports on how the crysis affected the wildlife?


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## Ron Magpie (Oct 11, 2009)

TommyBurt said:


> good point i hope the high mountain streams protected them somewhat but amphibians are sensitive to chemicals is there any reports on how the crysis affected the wildlife?


This

https://www.ifaw.org/ifaw_united_ki...ne/japan_earthquake.php?msource=DR110314003#x

It's the donation page, but you should be able to access the rest of the site from it.


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## bobo10 (Sep 10, 2010)

yeah it would be nice to see these for real, still cant get over how big they are, how much does that one weigh in the pic, does anybody know.
thanks


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## HABU (Mar 21, 2007)

i just have hellbenders here...











Friends of Scioto Brush Creek


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## bobo10 (Sep 10, 2010)

How come they are called hellbenders :lol2:


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## stegriff (Feb 13, 2011)

The origin of the name "hellbender" is unclear. The Missouri Department of Conservation says:
The name 'hellbender' probably comes from the animal’s odd look. Perhaps it was named by settlers who thought "it was a creature from hell where it’s bent on returning". Another rendition says the undulating skin of a hellbender reminded observers of 'horrible tortures of the infernal regions'. In reality, it’s a harmless aquatic salamander.[1]​Vernacular names include "snot otter", "devil dog", "mud-devil", "grampus", "Allegheny alligator", and "leverian water newt".[2][3] The genus name is derived from the Ancient Greek, "kryptos" (hidden[4]) and "branchos" (gill); a reference to oxygen absorption primarily through gills that are in a covered chamber and not lungs.[5]
Hellbender - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## jme2049 (Jan 11, 2008)

I saw a weird creatures tv show about them, apparently they have a really foul tasting mucus :lol2: Right up your street ay bobo licking toads and what not?


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## londonjoe (Apr 11, 2011)

there was massive amphibans in the world the biggest amphiban i have seen is 1ft long


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## jme2049 (Jan 11, 2008)

londonjoe said:


> there was massive amphibans in the world the biggest amphiban i have seen is 1ft long


Tell us what it was then?:whistling2:


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## londonjoe (Apr 11, 2011)

my pet sharp ribbed newts:2thumb:


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## jme2049 (Jan 11, 2008)

londonjoe said:


> my pet sharp ribbed newts:2thumb:


Cool, any pics of the beast?

*edit* just seen your thread in pics!


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## seanUK (May 23, 2007)

Chinese giant salamanders ( Andrias davidianus ) are in private collections.
Infact there is a guy in Germany who bred this species in his garden with a stream system. Some of the offspring went to zoo's or scientific holdings and some went to private individuals.

I have seen this species in person, I photographed some adults and they were huge the biggest amphibian I had ever seen.

I thought about acquiring some but decided not to in the end, also I looked into Cryptobranchus sp. as well. Both species like cool conditions in moving water.

I have seen the farms in China where they breed thousands of the davidianus in large square pools.


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