Fire belly newts

The fire belly newt or fire newt is a genus (''Cynops'') of newts native to Japan and China. All of the species show bright yellow or red bellies, but this feature is not unique to this genus. Their skin contains a toxin that can be harmful if ingested.

Species

Species recognized as of October 2019:

(A * means that the newt has been moved into the genus ''Hypselotriton'' in some classifications )

Taxonomic controversy

The genus ''Cynops'' has been suggested to be due for a split, with the Chinese species being placed in a separate genus from the Japanese ones. The species '' Cynops cyanurus'' is at the centre of all this. There is much debate about the validity of ''C. cyanurus'' and '' C. chenggongensis''. All the known captive animals could be something different from ''C. cyanurus'', as they do not entirely match the original description of the species. The only known animals that match that are animals originating from Chemnitz Zoo, but the F2 animals have not bred well, which could suggest they are in fact a hybrid of ''C. cyanurus'' and ''C. chenggongensis'' or an undescribed ''Cynops'' species.

References

External links

{{Taxonbar, from=Q390135

Amphibians of Asia