Amami-Oshima Sword Tailed Newt
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Nomenclature: Cynops ensicauda ensicauda
IUCN Red List: Endangered
Country of Origin: Amami-Oshima, Kakeromajima, Tokuno and various other islands in the Kagoshima Prefecture, Ryukyu Archipelago in Japan.
Information: This species is 1 of 8 species in the Cynops (Fire Bellied & Sword Tailed Newts) genus all of which use a form of Aposematism as a defence mechanism. Aposematism basically derives from the Greek words that mean "Warning Colours" and with this species, it bears a bright Yellow, Red or Orange belly just like the common name suggests. The common name for the species is "Sword Tailed Newt" mainly because the tail of the animal is supposedly meant to represent a Katana Samurai Sword.
Cynops ensicauda is one of the most endangered out of the other members of the genus besides the extinct Yunnan Giant Fire Belly Newt (Cynops wolterstorffi), and is split into two main subspecies the Cynops ensicauda ensicauda and Cynops ensicauda popei. The C.e.ensicauda subspecies can be found in the northern islands of the Ryukyu archipelago, including the island of Amami-Oshima. It is mainly threatened by habitat degradation and loss, reclamation of ponds, and construction of artificial concrete ditches. The species is also in the pet trade in Japan and is used for medicinal purposes in Taiwan, Province of China. It has further been affected by the introduction of invasive fish species.
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