Vol. 21 No. 1 (2026)
Articles

Life history of the Anji salamander (Chordata, Amphibia, Caudata, Hynobiidae) from fertilized eggs to subadults

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  • Haiyan Dong,
  • Jiabao Xu,
  • Jiayi He,
  • Xiaoxiao Luo,
  • Jiaxin Yao,
  • Jie Zeng,
  • Wenjing Wang,
  • Minglan Dong,
  • Lipeng Yu,
  • Yangyang Huan,
  • Zhedong Lang,
  • Hongchang Zhou,
  • Xianting Wang
Haiyan Dong
Department of Basic Medical Science, Huzhou University, 759 Erhuan East Road, Huzhou, Zhejiang 313000, P.R. China
Jiabao Xu
Department of Basic Medical Science, Huzhou University, 759 Erhuan East Road, Huzhou, Zhejiang 313000, P.R. China
Jiayi He
Department of Basic Medical Science, Huzhou University, 759 Erhuan East Road, Huzhou, Zhejiang 313000, P.R. China
Xiaoxiao Luo
Department of Basic Medical Science, Huzhou University, 759 Erhuan East Road, Huzhou, Zhejiang 313000, P.R. China
Jiaxin Yao
Department of Basic Medical Science, Huzhou University, 759 Erhuan East Road, Huzhou, Zhejiang 313000, P.R. China
Jie Zeng
Department of Basic Medical Science, Huzhou University, 759 Erhuan East Road, Huzhou, Zhejiang 313000, P.R. China
Wenjing Wang
Department of Basic Medical Science, Huzhou University, 759 Erhuan East Road, Huzhou, Zhejiang 313000, P.R. China
Minglan Dong
National-local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Genetic Breeding and Nutrition (Zhejiang), Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Aquatic Resources Conservation and Development, Key Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Genetic Breeding and Nutrition of Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Huzhou University, 759 Erhuan East Road, Huzhou, Zhejiang 313000, P. R. China
Lipeng Yu
Anji Salamander (Hynobius amjiensis) National Nature Reserve Management Center, No. 77-83, Building 1, Yongfu Commercial Street, Baofu Town, Anji County, Huzhou, Zhejiang 313000, P.R. China
Yangyang Huan
Department of Basic Medical Science, Huzhou University, 759 Erhuan East Road, Huzhou, Zhejiang 313000, P.R. China
Zhedong Lang
Anji Salamander (Hynobius amjiensis) National Nature Reserve Management Center, No. 77-83, Building 1, Yongfu Commercial Street, Baofu Town, Anji County, Huzhou, Zhejiang 313000, P.R. China
Hongchang Zhou
Department of Basic Medical Science, Huzhou University, 759 Erhuan East Road, Huzhou, Zhejiang 313000, P.R. China
Xianting Wang
Anji Salamander (Hynobius amjiensis) National Nature Reserve Management Center, No. 77-83, Building 1, Yongfu Commercial Street, Baofu Town, Anji County, Huzhou, Zhejiang 313000, P.R. China
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/a_h-18605

Published 2026-04-26

Keywords

  • Anji salamander,
  • Hynobius amjiensis,
  • life history,
  • metamorphosis,
  • molt,
  • subadult
    • ...More
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How to Cite

Dong, H., Xu, J., He, J., Luo, X., Yao, J., Zeng, J., Wang, W., Dong, M., Yu, L., Huan, Y., Lang, Z., Zhou, H., & Wang, X. (2026). Life history of the Anji salamander (Chordata, Amphibia, Caudata, Hynobiidae) from fertilized eggs to subadults. Acta Herpetologica, 21(1), 155–170. https://doi.org/10.36253/a_h-18605

Copyright (c) 2026 Haiyan Dong, Jiabao Xu, Jiayi He, Xiaoxiao Luo, Jiaxin Yao, Jie Zeng, Wenjing Wang, Minglan Dong, Lipeng Yu, Yangyang Huan, Zhedong Lang, Hongchang Zhou, Xianting Wang

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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Abstract

Anji salamander (Hynobius amjiensis) is a rare species endemic to China, living in peat moss swamp at an altitude of 1,300 meters on Longwang Mountain in Anji County, Zhejiang Province. Anji salamander larvae live in natural puddles in the swamp, and the adults spend most of their time in the humus under the peat moss, only briefly visiting the puddles during the breeding period to spawn and then disappear back into the swamp. Therefore, the life history of Anji salamander is poorly understood. In this study, we analyzed the developmental characteristics, behaviors and life habits of Anji salamander embryos from fertilized eggs to subadults. Following previous studies on the development of small salamanders and amphibians, we divided Anji salamander development into six stages, including embryonic development, balance bar, limb development, pre-metamorphosis, metamorphosis, and subadult development, with 34 developmental nodes. The period before the shedding of the balance bar was a relatively sensitive period. The metamorphosis period, especially the late metamorphosis period, was the most sensitive period from larvae to subadults, during which the small salamanders undergo complex physiological and biochemical changes such as relatively long fasting time, respiratory changes, and transition from aquatic to terrestrial life. These data fill in some of the gaps in the life history of Anji salamander from fertilized eggs to subadults, and are valuable for its conservation and future endeavor on artificial breeding.

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