The fire salamander is a particularly well know salamander. Its coloration is fairly simple, but also bright. The fire salamander is usually black with yellow, orange, and even red markings. These markings could be splotches, dots, and even stripes. The salamander’s average size is around eight to ten inches. Some of the biggest salamanders can grow over a foot. Fire salamanders generally have slender bodies, short noses, and long tails. If one of its four limbs was torn off it could regenerate that limb over time. Just by observing the physical appearance of the Fire Salamander you won’t be able to tell much about it.

 

A fire salamander’s diet consists of mainly insects, spiders, earthworms, and slugs. Also, if they happen to find a small frog, toad, or even a newt that would be considered their prey. Like all animals the fire salamander needs a way to protect its self. They don’t have many predators because the fire salamander’s bright colors warn animals that it’s poisonous.  These salamanders have special skin that let out poisonous toxins when the fire salamander feels in danger.

 

Fire salamanders live in southern and central Europe. They like to live in forests and hilly areas but also near water. Fire salamanders don’t go out in the open very often, they mostly stay hidden under rocks, covered by fallen leaves, and inside of mossy tree trunks. Fire salamanders live in this kind of area because they need to access water when it is time for the females to lay their eggs. Also, because they are cold blooded this salamander depends on its environment to heat them up or cool them down.

 

The fire salamander is probably the best know salamander throughout Europe. Fire salamanders hibernate from around October to march. They usually go into decaying logs or underground when they hibernate. They are nocturnal so they mostly sleep and hide during the day. At night fire salamanders go out to eat and mate when it’s mating season. Although they are named salamanders, they are actually newts. Fire salamanders are a very interesting and unique creature, but they can be beautiful and harmful at the same time.

 

Author: Dagmar G
Published: 5/10

 

reference links:

http://www.redeyedtreefrog.com/firesalamander_care.htm  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_Salamander  http://www.nature.org/animals/amphibians/animals/firesalamander.html  http://encyclopedia.stateuniversity.com/pages/7512/fire-salamander.html

Photo Credit:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Euprocte_pyrenees.jpg