Some science behind the scenes
Salamanders
The word Salamander is used to describe around 500 species of amphibians. Within this family are a group of the genus Salamandridae a family of creatures consisting of both true salamanders and newts. The genus Cynops is actually a newt, as is the Tarich, Notophthalmus, and Triturus.
A number of Salamanders from the Salamandridae family contain Tetrodotoxin in their skin secretions, muscle and eggs. Examples include S. Tarich, Notophthalmus, Cynops and Triturus. Tetrodotoxin is a really deadly toxin.
The sub family Salamandrinae - are the true salamanders. A list of true salamanders follows:
- Genus Chioglossa- 1 species, it is found in the north-west of Iberia at an altitude of up to 1,300m
- Gold-Striped Salamander (Chioglossa lusitanica)
- Genus Lyciasalamandra- 7 species found in Turkey
- Anatolia Lycian Salamander (Lyciasalamandra anatlyana)
- Atif's Lycian Salamander(Lyciasalamandra atifi)
- Bay Lycian Salamander (Lyciasalamandra billae)
- Fazil Lycian Salamander(Lyciasalamandra fizilae)
- Marmaris Lycian Salamander (Lyciasalamandra flavimembris)
- Karpathos Lycian Salamander (Lyciasalamandra helverseni)
- Luschan's Salamander (Lyciasalamandra luschani)
- Genus Mertensiella - 1 species , threatened by habitat loss and found in Georgia and Turkey
- Caucasian Salamander (Mertensiella caucasica)
- Genus Salamandra (Fire Salamanders) - 6 species
- Algerian Fire Salamander (Salamandra algira)
- Alpine Salamander(Salamandra atra)
- Corsican Fire Salamander(Salamandra corsica)
- Near Eastern Fire Salamander(Salamandra infraimmaculata)
- Lanza's Alpine Salamander(Salamandra lanzai)
- Fire Salamander (Salamandra salamandra)