Belt ornaments of fourteen dragon plaques (detail), buried 1371 From the tomb of Wang Xingzu, outside of the Central gate, Nanjing, China Reign of the Hongwu emperor (1368-1398) Whitish nephrite with relief on gold mounts Nanjing Municipal Museum
Diet- Fish; Insects; Crayfish; Frogs; Other salamanders; Crabs
Cool Facts- The Chinese giant salamander is both the largest and rarest amphibian in the world. Completely aquatic, these giant salamanders spend the majority of their time sleeping under rocks. When not sleeping, they eat practically anything. They prefer freshwater crabs but they have been reported to engage in cannibalism. Despite their near blind state, they are expert hunters by using vibrations sensed on nodes along their spine. Females and males only live together during the breeding season and until the eggs hatch. The male protects these eggs with his life while the female hunts for food. Due a mass decline in population from population, illegal hunting, and habitat destruction, zoos and breeding facilities around the world are working to save these massive salamanders.
