The sword-tail newt can be defined as your average newt. But unlike most newts, it has a black or brown back, and the belly, is usually yellow, or orange. Sword tailed newts can reach up to 103-179 millimeters but are usually 53-77 millimeters in length.  “They are the largest species still existing in the genus cynops,” according to researches and writers of caudate.org. It gets the name “sword-tail newt,” because of the shape of its round, and long tail, that can grow even bigger than their body.  They can sometimes be confused for its close relative, Cynops pyrrhogaster, or the fire belly newt, but the sword-tail newts can grow larger, and the color of their feet and bellies are a bit lighter.

These newts are also known to eat organisms such as snails, slugs, earthworms, and maybe even bugs.  They always fight for food among one another, but they have predators that seem them as a snack as well.  Not many animals threaten this newt, except for some species of fish.  The disease Chytridiomycosis, has also been troubling this species.  It is an “infectious disease of amphibians” caused by a certain fungus, which has been making their populations decrease. 
 
Swordtail newts are found on some of the islands in Japan, most likely the islands of Okinawa, Sesoko, Hamahiga, Tonaki, Tokashiki, Zamami, Geruma, and Aka. They usually live in damp places with slow moving water, like rice patties, or natural ponds.  Though the new development of land has destroyed the habitats, and spawning areas of this animal, putting it on Japans red list as near threatened
 
The swordtail newt is endangered, mostly due to its habitat loss, and the amount in captivity.  Some newts fall into portholes, get shriveled up from the sunlight, and die. 
 
The thing that stood out most about this animal was its physical description.  The way its tail is round, long, and resembles a sword; and the bright orange color of its belly where most distinct to me.  I also like the fact that this animal hasn’t been endangered yet, but it’s getting close. I learned many new interesting facts about this animal, as well as ones I didn’t really need to know, and even the difference between a salamander and a newt.
 
Author: Narisa G.
Published: 5/2010
 

Works cited: http://amphibiaweb.org/cgi/amphib_query?query_src=&where-genus=Cynops&where-species=ensicauda  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sword-tail_Newthttp://www.caudata.org/cc/species/Cynops/C_ensicauda.shtml 
 
Image credit:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cynops_ensicauda_popei001.jpg