The Hong Kong warty newt or Hong Kong newt (''Paramesotriton hongkongensis'', see als
the synonyms
is a species of

salamander Salamanders are a group of amphibians typically characterized by their lizard-like appearance, with slender bodies, blunt snouts, short limbs projecting at right angles to the body, and the presence of a tail in both larvae and adults. All t ...

found in

Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delta i ...

. Once thought to be

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...

to the territory, the species has also been found in the coastal parts of Guangdong Province. It is the only

Urodela Salamanders are a group of amphibians typically characterized by their lizard-like appearance, with slender bodies, blunt snouts, short limbs projecting at right angles to the body, and the presence of a tail in both larvae and adults. All ten ...

 living in

. This newt is considered by some naturalists as a subspecies of '' Paramesotriton chinensis''. However, some disagree with such a classification based on the disjunctive distribution of the two, and the differences in their physical appearance and habitat preference.

Description

The snout-to-tail length of the newt is about 11 to 15 cm. Its body colour ranges from light to dark brown, with patches of orange markings scattered on the ventral side. The patterns of the patches are unique for each individual, resembling the

fingerprint A fingerprint is an impression left by the friction ridges of a human finger. The recovery of partial fingerprints from a crime scene is an important method of forensic science. Moisture and grease on a finger result in fingerprints on surfac ...

s of humans. Small granules can be found throughout the body. A mid-dorsal skin ridge extends backwards from the neck through the anterior third of the tail. Two dorsolateral folds are also present. The head is roughly triangular. The eyes have horizontal pupils. The tail is thin and flattened, with a thin, red stripe along the ventral border. The four legs are similar in size. Four and five unwebbed digits can be found at the anterior and posterior limbs, respectively. As with other newts, the

tadpole A tadpole is the larval stage in the biological life cycle of an amphibian. Most tadpoles are fully aquatic, though some species of amphibians have tadpoles that are terrestrial. Tadpoles have some fish-like features that may not be found ...

s have finger-like

gill A gill () is a respiratory organ that many aquatic organisms use to extract dissolved oxygen from water and to excrete carbon dioxide. The gills of some species, such as hermit crabs, have adapted to allow respiration on land provided they are ...

s around their necks, which disappear completely after metamorphosis. When threatened, it releases a toxic secretion and may also feign death, rolling onto its back and exposing its brightly coloured belly. In the breeding season, the male displays by beating its tail, which develops a white or bluish stripe which is visible in dim light. Sperm is transferred to the female in a spermatophore.

eggs Humans and human ancestors have scavenged and eaten animal eggs for millions of years. Humans in Southeast Asia had domesticated chickens and harvested their eggs for food by 1,500 BCE. The most widely consumed eggs are those of fowl, especial ...

are laid singly and are wrapped in leaves.

Conservation

, it is a

protected species An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and invas ...

under Wild Animals Protection Ordinance Cap 170..

References

*Stephen J. Karsen, Michael Wai-neng Lau and Anthony Bogadek, ''Hong Kong amphibians and reptiles'', 2nd ed., Hong Kong: Provisional Urban Council, 1998, .

External links

Hong Kong Reptile & Amphibian SocietyGallery of the newt
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2275134 Amphibians described in 1962 Amphibians of China Fauna of Hong Kong Endemic fauna of China Paramesotriton