A Japanese Giant Salamander (Andrias japonicus). These magnificent creatures are among the largest living amphibians still on Earth - they can grow to lengths approaching 1.3 meters (over 4 feet). In spite of the fact that they are an ancient lineage and have been around for millions of years, they are facing real issues in the wild including small dams. Dams limit the ability of individuals to move around the impoundments. This has the net effect of isolating portions of a population, either above or below the dams. Streams and rivers across the range of this species have many dams. Smaller, isolated populations tend to have a reduced probability of survival through time owing to a reduction of genetic diversity. Photo taken in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan, 2015, courtesy of the Hanzaki Institute and Sumio Okada. | |
Licence : | Droits gérés |
Crédit: | Science Photo Library / Fenolio, Dante |
Taille de l’image : | 2696 px × 1569 px |
Model Release : | Non requis |
Property Release : | Non requis |
Restrictions : | - |