Himalayan Newt

 

Himalayan Salamander.

                                                                        

The Tylototriton himalayanus is a unique species of the Urodela order endemic to the North Eastern Himalayas and the one of the two known subspecies (along with another sub sp.) of its order found in the Indian subcontinent. This species is possibly one of the most noteworthy species of Herpetofauna found in the area, making it a remarkable species for the culture of the Himalayas regarding both cultural heritage and modern culture. Residents of Darjeeling are probably the most aware about the existence of this species as they can be constantly seen appearing on items varying from coffee mugs to fridge magnets and even clothing. The salamander has affected the urban society of Darjeeling to a great extent in modern times. 

The Himalayan salamander has played an important role in the cultural heritage of most Nepalese societies of the Himalayas as they are often associated as  “rain bringers “ or “storm bringers”. This idea was possibly conceived by the fact that these amphibians tend to hibernate throughout the winter and only appear in perennial water pools and water bodies after the arrival of the monsoon rains of late April or early May. The residents of Darjeeling also have different folk tales related to the species. The salamanders are believed to be a fire spirit that live in flames of forest fires and are also believed to have pyrokinetic abilities (similar to European folklore where the name “salamander “ is a synonym for a fire spirit ). The most reasonable answer to this misconception is that the Himalayan salamander like most of the other salamander species tend to hibernate in jungle foliage or beneath old logs. Setting controllable jungle fires is a common practice in the Himalayas and hence this causes the salamanders to retreat from their hibernation in order to escape from the flames. Salamanders have also been reported to appear out of burning fire wood which they could be possibly using for hibernation. Another common misconception about these amphibians is that they are believed to have razor sharp tails that can supposedly leave “incurable wounds”. This could have possibly arisen due to the fact that the Nepali name for the salamander is “Ghoro “ or “Ghoora” which is also the Nepali name for monitor lizards found in the Terai regions or plains. Monitor lizards have sharp edged, leathery tails that they use to whip their predators or sway around when they are threatened. The other answer behind this misconception could be that when the Himalayan salamander is threatened or cornered by another male, a predator or even when they are preying, they tend to coil their tail inwards and flagellate the tail in a very whip like motion. Besides all the fear instilling misconceptions about these salamanders, they are worshipped by most of the indigenous tribes with shamanic cultures in North Eastern India and Nepal. They are seen as water spirits that give rise to rainfall or water springs. They can also be seen in some old Buddhist paintings.

The Himalayan salamander was firstly described by Scottish zoologist John Anderson in 1871 during his expedition in the north eastern Himalayan regions of the Indian subcontinent. He first encountered the species in Sikkim (supposedly around a rice field). Later on, the species was described and studied by Annandale in Darjeeling and hence that was probably the moment when Darjeeling came to be known as the most ideal habitat for the species due to their populace and occurrence rate observed nowhere else in their distributive extent. 

 

Conservation status- Least Concern under the IUCN. This was last assessed in 2004. Although the species is regarded to be “rare “ by most of the people in Nepal or India, it is more relevant to call the species an endemic species .This doesn’t mean that the species shouldn’t be protected as they are obviously decreasing in population.

 

Size- An adult T.verrucosus can range between18-20 cm (9-10 cm tail) in length although a few specimens may exceed the size limit due to higher food availability or a different diet. Sexual maturity in males is attained at a length of 15-20 cm whereas for females it is 12-18 cm. The newborn larvae are 6-10 mm in length and start to metamorphose after attaining the length between 15-40 mm depending on different environmental conditions. 

 

Description-The salamander is easily identifiable by its appearance as they necessarily do not resemble any other animal found in the regions they inhabit. They could be mistaken for a lizard to the untrained eye but even that can also be easily rectified and differentiated on closer assessment. The head of the salamander is flattened and somewhat obtuse triangular, almost oval with a slightly distinct sharp tip around the nasal cavity. The snout is rather rounded too. Two lateral ridges on either side of the head run equidistant around the head forming a distorted triangular shape (more distinct dorsally) like a crown and curve inwards touching the Parotoids, which are concave looking in shape. The eyes (yellowish in color with a dark iris) are more prominent looking than most of the amphibians. The nostrils are situated a few millimeters away from the eyes above the mouth cavity and resemble two perfectly round dots with a valvular skin flap above for closing. Small granulated patterns like dots similar to that of a toad are present all around the dorsal side of the species starting from the head, extending downwards to the top of the abdomen ending above each leg, only visible when observed closely. Granulation is present almost everywhere except the ventral side and the tail. The body is robust and rubbery, cylindrically elongated and leathery to touch. A broad visible vertebral ridge originating behind the skull extends down the body, conjoining with the tail to give it a sharp look. Almost 15-16 glands that resemble knobs run alongside the vertebral ridge aligning with the Parotoid. The tail is almost as long as the body. It is leathery in appearance with a sharp looking tip. The tails are broadened and form a more paddle like look during the mating season when they adopt aquatic lifestyle. The ventral side is rubbery with transverse wrinkles. A bright orange line is formed around the anal opening which runs down the entirety of the ventral side of the tail. It is more prominently sharp in color during the mating season. The body coloration varies from a dark reddish- maroon tone to a darker brownish olive to a dark crimson brown tone. The head is a bit lighter in tone although similar to the body color. The tail is much lighter with a dark orange, light brown tone. During their aquatic lifestyle phase, the skin tone becomes much lighter almost matching the reddish orange color of the strata lying under their aquatic habitats. Hands and mouth cavity are light orange in color too. The third finger on every limb is the longest. The fingers end with small black rounded tips almost resembling a nail. The salamander tadpoles are very lightly colored with transparent underbelly and visible venation, organ systems and skeletal structure in the earlier days. They have prominent deep red-pink feathery gills which slowly retreat and are lost by the time they develop a stronger body frame and turn more leathery in texture. This is when they start to develop a darker color (blackish brown).

 

Distribution and occurren

ce-The extent of their occurrence is mostly concentrated in the North Eastern area of the Himalayas including Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Sikkim and Darjeeling, West Bengal in India, where the population is most concentrated. They have also been recorded in Nepal, mostly in Dingla, Illam and Chulachuli hills (Eastern Nepal).They are also found in Yunan, China, areas of Northern and Western Burma and Northern Siam. This species occurs in elevations between 1500-4000ft, although more common in the 2000 ft region. 15-25 degrees Centigrade is the ideal temperature and this is when they are highly active i.e. during late spring and Monsoon season. The rain pools they inhabit for breeding usually are between the pH of 4-6 and the oxygen concentration is between 4-10 pm (Herpetology of Nepal, Dr. T.K Shrestha). These salamanders can be spotted more easily during foggy days with slight drizzle and high humidity. 

 

Habitat- These amphibians tend to be more aquatic during their time out of hibernation and are often found in small water bodies formed due to accumulation of rain water. They are also found in non perennial lakes and ponds. Although the water bodies inhabited by this species may not be perennial, they are mostly formed near permanent marshy land hence swamps and marshes in forest clearings are the ideal habitat for this species. Common grasses that grow in marshes, water cress, Hydrilla and other water plants, ferns and different species of mosses and lichens are common vegetation found in their habitats. The substratum of the flooring of the water bodies they inhabit consists of clayey red soil going several feet in depth. During early fall time, the salamanders retreat back into the forested areas for hibernation and have been recorded to hibernate under coniferous vegetation abundant with leaf litter. They also hibernate under logs or heaps of moss if they don’t hibernate in the substrate/leaf litter, which they dig for several feet. They can be also seen in small slow flowing streams in forest outlets as well as on the forest floors above 2000ft in altitude. To see one on land is a rare sight. 

 

Habits and reproduction- The feeding pattern of these salamanders is rather selective eating only a few things. Common diet includes worms, slugs, millipedes and similar arthropods and tadpoles of various species. They have a diurnal ingestion pattern. The salamanders explore the vicinity within the extent of their habitats thoroughly for prey, positioning their head downwards and using it as a shovel to move foliage or mud away from prey or to navigate and locate prey. They have a short and stout white tongue which is used as a supplementary tool while catching a prey. The salamanders are mostly nocturnally active and hence they migrate from pools in search of mate, prey or when the water level decreases proactively at night. They also migrate from retreating water pools during early autumn and enter a state of hibernation after fall in temperature and onset of declining rainfall patterns. They have been recorded to dig up to 4 ft in substrate or foliage to hibernate and they follow the moisture gradient of the strata in order to do so. The Himalayan salamander can hold its breath underwater between 4-12 minutes, easily making it a formidable aquatic hunter. These salamanders seem to be a social species and are rarely spotted alone as they tend to huddle together for retaining skin moisture and constant temperature during hibernation, avoiding dehydration of skin or hypothermic death. They are also spotted in vast numbers in water pools during monsoon. Although they are often spotted together in large numbers, the males exhibit a territorial trait. Males are seen fighting each other with gaping mouths and flickering tails during mating season for females or a certain territory. Cannibalism has also been recorded in this species before. The tail is a very important part of the species as it is used not only for swimming or fighting other males but is also used to lure prey, intimate a predator and to release pheromones to attract females into courtship. A low mating call can be heard during early April-June. The males with high orange colored tails and distinct cloacal bulge attract a lot of females for courtship. The mating is conducted facing each other ventrally adjacent to each other and holding the female tightly with forelimbs. The mating is a nocturnal ritual mostly. The eggs are released slowly and are held in the cloacal opening. This is when the male releases spermatophore which is sucked into the cloacal opening of the female. Internal fertilization takes place after which a clutch of 30-60 eggs are laid after the maturity of the eggs. The eggs are a transparent jelly like in appearance about 13 mm in diameter. These eggs are laid in water, attached to water foliage. The larvae feed on aquatic arthropods and worms in its early stages of feeding. They are a vulnerable prey to most of the other species and hence all of the larvae don’t make it into adulthood. 

One of the most startling features in the Himalayan salamander similar to other salamanders is its extraordinary regeneration power within short time spans. They can easily reproduce the exact looking toes, fingers or even limbs from the wound or even after decapitation within a span of few weeks or months. They can also regenerate tails lost during conflict or predation. 

 

Although the Himalayan salamander is still marked as a least concerned species, it is still right to call it ‘Rare’ as it has become an extremely rare sight to both experts and normal citizens. Once the Himalayan salamander was found almost all around Darjeeling-Sikkim area from Teesta valley to Sandakphu and beyond, into Nepal as well as the North Eastern area of India. Today an individual has to visit a specific location to see a specimen and most return without even getting a glimpse of the creature. The argument about being an elusive species ends when there is no cover to hide in and no habitat to live, reproduce in. The major problems faced by this species is habitat loss due to intense deforestation, retreating forest land as a consequence of non eco friendly tourism and relentless expansion of settlements, urbanization, water pollution due to effluents and waste from household drainage systems, habitat loss caused by drinking water sanitation and deaths caused specially by DDT use for agriculture, other pesticides and releasing chemical waste into water bodies. Detergent powder poisoning is also one of the major causes of their declining population. Although these factors seem to be a huge influence to population loss in almost every flora and fauna species endemic to Darjeeling, another reason behind the declining population of the salamanders is wildlife trafficking and poaching. Although the reasons are very uncertain and sketchy, most of the reports seem to justify that the animals were being poached to illegal medicine markets in South East Asia. Although all of these factors seem to affect the Himalayan salamanders well being, arguably the biggest problem right now is lack of education about the existence of such type of wildlife. One must not only know that such a prehistoric ,unique and fascinating creature thrives in the very same place we have “urbanized ”,but one should also be proud about its existence and take measures to help protect it or spread the word to do so. The Himalayan salamander has always been one of the most productive species to thrive in the ecosystem of the hills helping not only with pests and maintenance of the entire ecosystem but is also a symbol of the rare fauna sustained in our ecosystem. Let us protect, embrace and help flourish this species into large numbers once again.