Fire Salamander
Salamandra salamandra
Where is it found?
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Woodlands near pond and streams
Diet and foraging method
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When hunting in the light, Fire salamanders use movement cues to detect their prey; in the dark, they rely on olfactory cues.
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Key adaptations
Fire salamanders have glands behind their eyes and down their bodies which secrete poison. They can spray this at their predators to deter them from attacking. They can also lose and regenerate their tail to escape predators.
Social organisation and mating system
Solitary
Polyandrous
Did you know that...?
The bright yellow blotches on the fire salamander's body warn potential predators that they are poisonous!
Taxonomy
Picture credits:
"Feuersalamander 1". Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Feuersalamander_1.jpg#/media/File:Feuersalamander_1.jpg
"Salamandra salamandra (Marek Szczepanek)". Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Salamandra_salamandra_(Marek_Szczepanek).jpg#/media/File:Salamandra_salamandra_(Marek_Szczepanek).jpg
"Salamandra salamandra MHNT 1" by Didier Descouens - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Salamandra_salamandra_MHNT_1.jpg#/media/File:Salamandra_salamandra_MHNT_1.jpg
"Salamandra salamandra (Marek Szczepanek)". Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Salamandra_salamandra_(Marek_Szczepanek).jpg#/media/File:Salamandra_salamandra_(Marek_Szczepanek).jpg
"Salamandra salamandra MHNT 1" by Didier Descouens - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Salamandra_salamandra_MHNT_1.jpg#/media/File:Salamandra_salamandra_MHNT_1.jpg
