''Hynobius quelpaertensis'', the Jeju salamander, also spelled Cheju salamander, is a species of
salamander
Salamanders are a group of amphibians typically characterized by their lizard-like appearance, with slender bodies, blunt snouts, short limbs projecting at right angles to the body, and the presence of a tail in both larvae and adults. All ten ...
found on various islands and peninsulas off the southwestern coast of the
Korean Peninsula
Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...
, including
Jindo,
Geojedo
Geojedo or Geoje Island (also McCune–Reischauer: Kŏje Island) is the principal island of Geoje City, on the southern coast of Gyeongsangnam-do province, South Korea. It is joined to land by two bridges from nearby Tongyeong. Gohyeon is t ...
,
Jejudo, and
Namhae.
It inhabits moist mountain forests.
Jeju salamanders are speckled brown in color. Adult males are in length, and adult females . Males are also distinguished by their thick front legs and black coloration on their backs. This species mates from March to late April, laying eggs under small rocks and leaves in mountain pools.
The Jeju salamander was previously considered a subspecies of the
Korean salamander
The Korean salamander (''Hynobius leechii''), or Gensan salamander, is the most common species of salamander on the Korean peninsula, and is also found and on Jeju Island and in the north-eastern Chinese provinces of Liaoning, Jilin and Heilong ...
, and was classified as ''
Hynobius leechii
The Korean salamander (''Hynobius leechii''), or Gensan salamander, is the most common species of salamander on the Korean peninsula, and is also found and on Jeju Island and in the north-eastern Chinese provinces of Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongj ...
quelpaertensis''.
See also
*
List of amphibians of Korea
This is a list of amphibian species found in the wild in Korea, including the Korean Peninsula and Jeju Island. A total of 20 species of amphibians are known from Korea; this includes two species of salamander that were not discovered until the 2 ...
*
Korean salamander
The Korean salamander (''Hynobius leechii''), or Gensan salamander, is the most common species of salamander on the Korean peninsula, and is also found and on Jeju Island and in the north-eastern Chinese provinces of Liaoning, Jilin and Heilong ...
References
*
{{Taxonbar, from=Q3022201
quelpaertensis
Amphibians of Korea
Endemic fauna of Korea
Amphibians described in 1928