Research news on Salamanders (order)

Salamanders, classified in the order Urodela (or Caudata), are amphibians characterized by an elongated body, tail retention throughout life, and typically four limbs of relatively similar size. They exhibit diverse life histories, including fully aquatic, semi-aquatic, and terrestrial forms, with many species showing biphasic development from gilled larvae to lung- or skin-breathing adults, while others are paedomorphic. Gas exchange occurs through combinations of lungs, gills, and highly vascularized skin, and many taxa exhibit cutaneous toxin secretion. Salamanders play key roles in freshwater and forest ecosystems and are important model organisms for studies of regeneration, development, and evolutionary biology.