''Paramesotriton labiatus'' is a species of
newt
A newt is a salamander in the subfamily Pleurodelinae. The terrestrial juvenile phase is called an eft. Unlike other members of the family Salamandridae, newts are semiaquatic, alternating between aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Not all aqua ...
in the family
Salamandridae.
[ It is ]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 Guangxi, China. In literature prior to 2011, this species may have been confused with '' Paramesotriton chinensis'', '' Pachytriton granulosus'', or ''Paramesotriton ermizhaoi'' (the last now in synonymy
A synonym is a word, morpheme, or phrase that means exactly or nearly the same as another word, morpheme, or phrase in a given language. For example, in the English language, the words ''begin'', ''start'', ''commence'', and ''initiate'' are all ...
).[ This species has several vernacular names, including Unterstein's newt,][ spotless stout newt,][ spotless smooth warty newt, Zhao Ermi's smooth warty newt, and paddletail newt.][
]
Description
The paddle-tail newt is characterized by a flat body and a long, paddle-like tail. They range from black to brown to pale brown. They have orange markings along the bottom of their bodies and may have some orange dots lining their backs. Their skin is very smooth with a secretion of mucus, and their limbs are relatively short. The morphology and size of this species are similar to, if not larger than, '' Pachytriton brevipes''.Amphibiaweb.org
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They use their senses of sight and smell to locate food. Since food is scarce for them in their natural environments, they can go for weeks without eating, but should be fed regularly when kept in captivity.
Paddle-tail newt longevity in the wild is currently unknown, but in captivity it usually ranges from 10 to 20 years.
Paddle-tail newts, uniquely, are known for their communication. They fan their tails when they are trying to attract the attention of another newt, when they are startled or frightened, or when approached by a conspecific.
Paddle-tail newts are sometimes confused with the Japanese fire belly newts and sold as such, but are much larger and more aggressive and will eat smaller firebelly newts if given the opportunity.
They have a similar relation named the spotted paddle-tail newt.
References
External links
Paddletail newts
labiatus
Endemic fauna of Guangxi
Amphibians of China
Amphibians described in 1930
Taxobox binomials not recognized by IUCN
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