Are newts and giant salamanders the same animal?

A newt is not a giant salamander; they are two different types of amphibians, and although they look very similar, there are still many differences. The most obvious one is the difference in the head: the head of the giant salamander (Chinese giant salamander) is flat, while that of the newt is not, and this single point is enough to tell them apart.

Differences between newts and giant salamanders

The external form of the newt consists of 5 parts: head, neck, trunk, limbs and tail. The adult is 6-8 cm in total length. The skin is bare, black or grayish-black on the back, with slightly raised wart-like granules scattered over the skin, and irregular orange-red patches on the belly. The neck of the newt is not obvious, the trunk is rather flat, and the limbs are fairly well developed, with four toes on the forelimbs and five toes on the hindlimbs, and no webbing between the toes. The tail is laterally flattened and long. Newts crawl on the bottom of the water and on land with their limbs, and in water they swim by continuously bending and swinging the trunk and tail up and down.

Distinguishing male from female newts: the male is slightly smaller than the female; the male is lively and nimble, while the female has a plump belly and moves slowly; the male's cloacal opening is raised, especially in the breeding season, with a long slit and obvious villous papillae, even protruding outward, whereas the female's cloacal opening is flat, with a shorter slit and no obvious papillae.

The Chinese giant salamander is commonly called “baby fish” because its call resembles a baby's cry. The head of the Chinese giant salamander is flat and bluntly rounded, with a large mouth, undeveloped eyes and no eyelids. The front part of the body is flat, gradually becoming laterally flattened toward the tail. There are obvious skin folds on both sides of the body; the limbs are short and flat, with five toes on the forelimbs and four on the hindlimbs, with slight webbing. The tail is rounded, with fin-like structures above and below the tail. The body surface is smooth and covered with mucus. The back of the body is a mix of black and brownish-red, while the belly is lighter in color.