Amphibians · Caudata · Hynobiidae

Siberian Salamander

Salamandrella keyserlingii

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The Siberian salamander is the amphibian that lives furthest north on the planet and the only one that crosses the Arctic Circle in Asia. It survives temperatures of forty-five degrees below zero by freezing solid inside the permafrost, and living individuals have been recovered after decades trapped in the ice.

Size

9 cm – 13 cm

Lifespan

20 years

Diet

Insectivore

Feeds mainly on insects and other invertebrates.

Activity

Nocturnal

Active mainly at night.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

Temperate forestTundraPolarInsectivore Nocturnal Solitary Amphibian Temperate forest Tundra Polar

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Fun facts

Individuals have been found frozen in the Siberian permafrost that revived on thawing, some after decades trapped in the ice, and cases of survival after much longer periods have been published that are still debated.
It withstands temperatures of down to forty-five degrees below zero thanks to the glycerol it builds up in its tissues, a biological antifreeze that stops crystals forming inside the cells.
It is the only amphibian in the world that crosses the Arctic Circle in Asia and reaches the shore of the Arctic Ocean, in an environment where the ground stays frozen for most of the year.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (amphibian)
Habitat & environment: Taiga, tundra and riverine forest of Siberia, the Russian Far East and northern Asia
Size at birth: An aquatic larva that metamorphoses within a few weeks
Sexual maturity: 3 years
Gestation / incubation: 23 days
Litter / clutch size: 70

Sources consulted: https://www.iucnredlist.org/ | https://animaldiversity.org/ | https://es.wikipedia.org/