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Did you what was the world’s largest amphibian? You might have known that it was the Giant Salamanders of China. They can weigh about 45 kgs and can grow over 1.5 meters in length. Giant Salamanders once lived in southern, eastern and northern China. What’s new is that now the world’s largest amphibian is rediscovered.



To be more precise, it was thought that Giant Chinese Salamander was a single species, but now it is discovered that it is divided into three different species. And one of the three species is now the largest amphibian species. This species has been given a new name Andrias Sligoi, the South Chinese Giant Salamander.



image is taken from deccanherald.com

How was the World’s largest Amphibian Discovered?

The Giant Salamander(Andrias Davidianus) is already on the brink of extinction and it is very crucial to save them or their species will perish. While researching over it researchers studied 17 specimens from the museum and also from the wild. That’s when they first found the world’s largest amphibian Salamander species. And came to the conclusion that South China Giant Salamander(Andrias Sligoi), the largest amphibian had resided in the museum for over 74 years.



During the 1920s and 1930s this Salamander in London’s zoo for 2o years. This species of Salamander can grow to almost six feet in length making it larger than 8000 amphibians found today on Earth.

The Giant Salamander species is now divided into three species: Sligoi, Davidanus and the third species is still unnamed. Sligoi, as mentioned earlier is the largest of them.

The decline in the Numbers of Giant Salamanders

In the past, Giant Salamanders were used for making medicines and also as a delicacy. Due to overexploitation and farming has resulted in Salamanders being found only at 4 sites out 97 in China. Illegal trade of these Salamanders and hunting them for food is also major reason for the decline of these majestic creatures. Conservation programs must be upgraded to protect these Salamanders. London Zoo is home to 4 Giant Salamanders, which were brought to the zoo after someone tried to illegally trade them in 2016.