Kuankuoshui Salamander
Pseudohynobius kuankuoshuiensis
Photo: (c) 夜星槎, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by 夜星槎
Overview
The Kuankuoshui salamander is a species of salamander in the family Hynobiidae endemic to China and only know from its type locality, Puchang-Kuankuoshui Nature Reserve (蒲昌宽阔水) in Suiyang County, Guizhou Province. Its natural habitats are temperate forests, streams, and pools. It is threatened by habitat loss. The Kuankuoshui salamander is a relative large salamander, about 20 cm (7.9 in) in total length.
Pseudohynobius kuankuoshuiensis faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to limestone quarrying and mining activities in its karst landscape home. The species' extremely restricted range in Guizhou Province makes it particularly vulnerable to local environmental changes, while water pollution from agricultural runoff and industrial activities degrades the pristine stream conditions essential for its survival. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering precipitation patterns and temperature regimes in its high-altitude habitat.
Habitat
This salamander inhabits pristine mountain streams and springs in karst limestone terrain at elevations between 1,200-1,800 meters in Guizhou Province, China. It requires cool, well-oxygenated water with stable temperatures and minimal human disturbance, typically found in forested watersheds with dense canopy cover.
Conservation measures underway
Other threatened species in HYNOBIIDAE
Threatened in China
Frequently asked questions
Why is Kuankuoshui Salamander classified as Critically Endangered?
Where does Kuankuoshui Salamander live?
What are the main threats to Kuankuoshui Salamander?
Get weekly conservation intelligence
One short digest a week of the most striking species and country data we ship, plus breaking conservation news paired with our database where it matters.
Free, no spam. One-click unsubscribe in every email.