Amphibians on Herpeton Academy

Ambystoma maculatum

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

🔤 Taxonomy

Ambystoma maculatum is the accepted scientific name and is stable in current use. In trade it may appear as the spotted salamander, but that common name does not change the taxonomy used here.

English common names used in the hobby:

Spotted salamander

📌 Description

Ambystoma maculatum is an amphibian kept for observation rather than handling. Adult size is usually around 15-25 cm, and a realistic lifespan in stable care is about 10-20 years. It needs clean water, secure hides, correct temperature, and calm maintenance more than decorative complexity.

Ambystoma mavortium

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

🔤 Taxonomy

Ambystoma mavortium is now treated separately from Ambystoma tigrinum in many modern sources. Older tiger salamander material may group these forms together, so origin and accurate identification matter.

English common names used in the hobby:

Barred tiger salamander

📌 Description

Ambystoma mavortium is an amphibian kept for observation rather than handling. Adult size is usually around 18-30 cm, and a realistic lifespan in stable care is about 10-20 years. It needs clean water, secure hides, correct temperature, and calm maintenance more than decorative complexity.

Cynops orientalis

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

🔤 Taxonomy

Cynops orientalis is the accepted scientific name for the Chinese fire-bellied newt. In older pet trade it was often imported under broad common names, so it should not be confused with the Japanese Cynops pyrrhogaster.

English common names used in the hobby:

Chinese fire-bellied newt

📌 Description

Cynops orientalis is an amphibian kept for observation rather than handling. Adult size is usually around 6-10 cm, and a realistic lifespan in stable care is about 10-15 years. It needs clean water, secure hides, correct temperature, and calm maintenance more than decorative complexity.

Cynops pyrrhogaster

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

🔤 Taxonomy

Cynops pyrrhogaster is the accepted scientific name for the Japanese fire-bellied newt. Regional Japanese forms are discussed in the hobby, so avoid mixing locality lines for breeding.

English common names used in the hobby:

Japanese fire-bellied newt

📌 Description

Cynops pyrrhogaster is an amphibian kept for observation rather than handling. Adult size is usually around 9-14 cm, and a realistic lifespan in stable care is about 10-20 years. It needs clean water, secure hides, correct temperature, and calm maintenance more than decorative complexity.

Litoria caerulea

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

🔤 Taxonomy

Many hobby sources still use Litoria caerulea, while some databases, including GBIF, treat the accepted combination as Ranoidea caerulea. Both names commonly point to White’s tree frog in trade. In this article the familiar hobby name Litoria caerulea is retained in the title, while the taxonomy table follows the accepted database combination Ranoidea caerulea.

English common names used in the hobby:

Pleurodeles waltl

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

🔤 Taxonomy

Pleurodeles waltl is the accepted scientific name for the Iberian ribbed newt. In hobby use it may be shortened to “ribbed newt”, but that common name should refer to this Iberian species here, not every ribbed or spiny-looking newt.

English common names used in the hobby:

Iberian ribbed newt

📌 Description

Pleurodeles waltl is an amphibian kept for observation rather than handling. Adult size is usually around 20-30 cm, and a realistic lifespan in stable care is about 10-20 years. It needs clean water, secure hides, correct temperature, and calm maintenance more than decorative complexity.

Salamandra salamandra

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

🔤 Taxonomy

Salamandra salamandra is a species complex with many regional forms and subspecies names in older material. Locality matters for responsible keeping and breeding, and different locality lines should not be mixed casually.

English common names used in the hobby:

Fire salamander

📌 Description

Salamandra salamandra is an amphibian kept for observation rather than handling. Adult size is usually around 15-25 cm, and a realistic lifespan in stable care is about 15-25+ years. It needs clean water, secure hides, correct temperature, and calm maintenance more than decorative complexity.

Trachycephalus resinifictrix

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

🔤 Taxonomy

Trachycephalus resinifictrix is the accepted scientific name and is stable in current hobby use. It is often sold as the Amazon milk frog.

English common names used in the hobby:

Amazon milk frog

📌 Description

Trachycephalus resinifictrix is an amphibian kept for observation rather than handling. Adult size is usually around 7-10 cm, and a realistic lifespan in stable care is about 8-15 years. It needs clean water, secure hides, correct temperature, and calm maintenance more than decorative complexity.

Ambystoma tigrinum

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

🔤 Taxonomy

Ambystoma tigrinum is the accepted scientific name for the eastern tiger salamander. In older hobby material and older literature, keepers may also encounter a broader tiger salamander complex that included forms now treated separately, especially Ambystoma mavortium.

English common names used in the hobby:

Tiger salamander
Eastern tiger salamander

German common names used in the hobby:

Bombina orientalis

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

🔤 Taxonomy

Bombina orientalis is the currently accepted scientific name and is stable in current hobby use.

English common names used in the hobby:

Oriental fire-bellied toad
Fire-bellied toad

German common names used in the hobby:

Chinesische Rotbauchunke

📌 Description

Bombina orientalis is a small semi-aquatic amphibian recognized by its green-and-black dorsal pattern and vivid orange to red belly. Adults usually reach around 4-6 cm and are active, alert, and often visible by day, which is one reason the species has long been popular in the hobby.

Dendrobates auratus

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

🔤 Taxonomy

Dendrobates auratus is the currently accepted scientific name and is stable in hobby and scientific use.

English common names used in the hobby:

Green and black poison frog
Green poison frog

German common names used in the hobby:

Grün-Schwarzer Pfeilgiftfrosch

📌 Description

Dendrobates auratus is a medium-sized day-active poison frog with green, mint, blue, or bronze markings on a dark background. Many captive lines are beautiful but somewhat more reserved than the boldest Dendrobates tinctorius forms, so enclosure structure has a strong effect on how visible the frogs are.

Dendrobates azureus

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

🔤 Taxonomy

Dendrobates azureus remains a very common hobby name. In modern taxonomy, keepers will often see it treated within Dendrobates tinctorius as the blue Suriname form.

English common names used in the hobby:

Blue poison frog
Azureus poison frog

German common names used in the hobby:

Blauer Pfeilgiftfrosch

📌 Description

The frog traditionally known as Dendrobates azureus is one of the most recognizable dart frogs in captivity thanks to its intense blue ground color and contrasting dark spotting. It is a medium-sized poison frog that is often visible in well-structured planted terrariums.

Dendrobates leucomelas

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

🔤 Taxonomy

Dendrobates leucomelas is the currently accepted scientific name and is stable in current use.

English common names used in the hobby:

Yellow-banded poison frog
Bumblebee poison frog

German common names used in the hobby:

Gelbgebänderter Pfeilgiftfrosch

📌 Description

Dendrobates leucomelas is a lively yellow-and-black poison frog that is often recommended to keepers who want a visible daytime species for a planted display terrarium. It is active, vocal, and often somewhat more outgoing than many other dart frogs when the enclosure is set up well.

Dyeing Poison Frog

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

🔤 Taxonomy

Dendrobates tinctorius is the currently accepted scientific name. In older literature and in parts of the hobby, hobbyists may also encounter locality-based names or older references that treated closely related forms separately.

English common names used in the hobby:

Dyeing poison frog
Dyeing dart frog

German common names used in the hobby:

Färberfrosch
Färberpfeilgiftfrosch

📌 Description

Dendrobates tinctorius is a medium-sized poison frog from the Guiana Shield, known for bold black patterning combined with yellow, white, blue, or orange depending on locality. It is one of the sturdier and more visible dart frogs in captivity and often spends time out in the open when the enclosure is well planted and secure.

Hyla cinerea

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

🔤 Taxonomy

Hyla cinerea is the currently accepted scientific name. In modern North American references and in parts of the hobby, keepers may also encounter the combination Dryophytes cinereus.

English common names used in the hobby:

Green tree frog
American green tree frog

German common names used in the hobby:

Amerikanischer Laubfrosch
Grüner Laubfrosch

📌 Description

Hyla cinerea is a small, slim arboreal frog from the warm and humid southeastern United States. It is best known for its clear green body color, pale underside, and light stripe that often runs along the side of the body.

Oophaga pumilio

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

🔤 Taxonomy

Oophaga pumilio is the currently accepted scientific name. In older literature and in parts of the hobby, keepers may still encounter the older combination Dendrobates pumilio.

English common names used in the hobby:

Strawberry poison frog
Strawberry dart frog

German common names used in the hobby:

Erdbeerfröschchen
Erdbeerpfeilgiftfrosch

📌 Description

Oophaga pumilio is a very small poison frog from Central America and one of the best-known dart frogs in the hobby. It is famous for extreme color variation, with different island and mainland populations showing red, blue, orange, green, spotted, or nearly uniform forms.

Pyxicephalus adspersus

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

🔤 Taxonomy

Pyxicephalus adspersus is the currently accepted scientific name and is stable in modern hobby use.

English common names used in the hobby:

African bullfrog
Pixie frog

German common names used in the hobby:

Afrikanischer Ochsenfrosch

📌 Description

Pyxicephalus adspersus is one of the largest frogs kept in captivity. It is a heavy-bodied, ground-dwelling ambush predator from sub-Saharan Africa, recognized by its enormous head, broad mouth, thick limbs, and powerful feeding response.

Red-Eyed Tree Frog

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

🔤 Taxonomy

Agalychnis callidryas is the currently accepted scientific name. The species was formerly placed in the large family Hylidae, but molecular studies have moved it to Phyllomedusidae, a separate family of waxy monkey frogs and their relatives. It is one of the most recognized amphibians in the world.

English common names used in the hobby:

Red-eyed tree frog
Red-eyed leaf frog

German common names used in the hobby:

Axolotl

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

🔤 Taxonomy

Ambystoma mexicanum is the currently accepted scientific name. In the hobby and in trade, the species is usually sold under the same name or under its common-name equivalents.

English common names used in the hobby:

Axolotl
Mexican walking fish

German common names used in the hobby:

Axolotl

📌 Description

The axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) is an aquatic salamander known for its external gills and its ability to retain larval features throughout life. Unlike most amphibians, it does not normally undergo metamorphosis and remains fully aquatic.