Common name : European fire salamander
Scientific name : Salamandra salamandra
Family : Salamandridae
Native to : Europe. Also found in Northern Africa and the Middle East
Interesting fact : It is the only species of salamanders that give birth to larvae instead of laying eggs.
Conservation status : Least Concern
Apt to their name, their glossy black bodies have vivid yellow spots and lines. They hide under leaf litter and mossy tree trunks. They feed on insects, worms, beetles, etc., and protect themselves from their predators by secreting toxin from their skins and the glands above their eyes. They have a long life span of over 50 years in captivity.
