The Hong Kong warty newt or Hong Kong newt (''Paramesotriton hongkongensis'', see als
the synonyms
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 t ...

(

newt A newt is a salamander in the subfamily Pleurodelinae. The terrestrial juvenile phase is called an eft. Unlike other members of the family Salamandridae, newts are semiaquatic, alternating between aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Not all aqua ...

) found in

Hong Kong Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...

. Once thought to be

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

to the territory, the species has also been found in the coastal parts of Guangdong Province. It is the only Urodela living in

. This newt is considered by some naturalists as a subspecies of '' Paramesotriton chinensis''. However, some disagree with such a classification based on the disjunctive distribution of the two, and the differences in their physical appearance and habitat preference.

Description

The snout-to-tail length of the newt is about 11 to 15 cm. Its body colour ranges from light to dark brown, with patches of orange markings scattered on the ventral side. The patterns of the patches are unique for each individual, resembling the

fingerprint A fingerprint is an impression left by the friction ridges of a human finger. The recovery of partial fingerprints from a crime scene is an important method of forensic science. Moisture and grease on a finger result in fingerprints on surfa ...

s of humans. Small granules can be found throughout the body. A mid-dorsal skin ridge extends backwards from the neck through the anterior third of the tail. Two dorsolateral folds are also present. The head is roughly triangular. The eyes have horizontal pupils. The tail is thin and flattened, with a thin, red stripe along the ventral border. The four legs are similar in size. Four and five unwebbed digits can be found at the anterior and posterior limbs, respectively. As with other newts, the

tadpole A tadpole or polliwog (also spelled pollywog) is the Larva, larval stage in the biological life cycle of an amphibian. Most tadpoles are fully Aquatic animal, aquatic, though some species of amphibians have tadpoles that are terrestrial animal, ...

s have finger-like

gill A gill () is a respiration organ, respiratory organ that many aquatic ecosystem, aquatic organisms use to extract dissolved oxygen from water and to excrete carbon dioxide. The gills of some species, such as hermit crabs, have adapted to allow r ...

s around their necks, which disappear completely after

metamorphosis Metamorphosis is a biological process by which an animal physically develops including birth transformation or hatching, involving a conspicuous and relatively abrupt change in the animal's body structure through cell growth and different ...

. When threatened, it releases a toxic secretion and may also feign death, rolling onto its back and exposing its brightly coloured belly. In the breeding season, the male displays by beating its tail, which develops a white or bluish stripe which is visible in dim light. Sperm is transferred to the female in a spermatophore. eggs are laid singly and are wrapped in leaves.

Conservation

, it is a

protected species An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching, invasiv ...

under Wild Animals Protection Ordinance Cap 170.

References

*Stephen J. Karsen, Michael Wai-neng Lau and Anthony Bogadek, ''Hong Kong amphibians and reptiles'', 2nd ed., Hong Kong: Provisional Urban Council, 1998, .

External links

Hong Kong Reptile & Amphibian SocietyGallery of the newt
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2275134 Amphibians described in 1962 Amphibians of China Fauna of Hong Kong Endemic fauna of China Paramesotriton