Fire Salamander Animal Facts

F Species Profile Fire Salamander

Salamandra salamandra

Bright warning colors. Bitter consequences. Marek R. Swadzba/Shutterstock.com Encyclopedia / F Animals / Fire Salamander Updated May 27, 2024 Index Overview Taxonomy Size Photos Did You Know Conservation Life Cycle Field Notes Humans Relations Article

Fire Salamander Distribution

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Found in 26 countries

🇵🇹 Portugal 🇪🇸 Spain 🇫🇷 France 🇧🇪 Belgium 🇳🇱 Netherlands 🇱🇺 Luxembourg 🇩🇪 Germany 🇨🇭 Switzerland 🇦🇹 Austria 🇮🇹 Italy 🇨🇿 Czech Republic 🇸🇰 Slovakia 🇵🇱 Poland 🇭🇺 Hungary 🇸🇮 Slovenia 🇭🇷 Croatia 🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina 🇲🇪 Montenegro 🇷🇸 Serbia 🇦🇱 Albania 🇲🇰 Macedonia 🇬🇷 Greece 🇷🇴 Romania 🇧🇬 Bulgaria 🇺🇦 Ukraine 🇹🇷 Turkey Show all 26 locations

At a Glance

Wild Species Also Known As Feuersalamander (German), Salamandre tachetée (French), Vuursalamander (Dutch), Salamandra común (Spanish), Salamandra pezzata (Italian), Salamandra-de-fogo (Portuguese) Diet Insectivore Activity Nocturnal+ Lifespan 12 years Weight 0.08 lbs Status Least Concern Did You Know?

Adult total length is typically ~15-25 cm; exceptionally up to ~30 cm in large individuals.

Scientific Classification

A robust, terrestrial salamander native to much of Europe, known for its glossy black body with bright yellow (sometimes orange) markings and for secreting defensive skin toxins.

Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Amphibia Order Urodela Family Salamandridae Genus Salamandra Species Salamandra salamandra

Distinguishing Features

• Black body with irregular yellow/orange patches or stripes (aposematic warning coloration)
• Parotoid glands and toxic skin secretions (notably samandarin compounds)
• Stout build with relatively short limbs; primarily nocturnal/crepuscular activity
• Larvae are aquatic with external gills; adults largely terrestrial

Physical Measurements

Imperial Metric Length 7 in (6 in – 9 in) Weight 0 lbs (0 lbs – 0 lbs) Tail Length 3 in (2 in – 4 in) Poisonous

Appearance

Primary Colors Black Yellow Secondary Colors Orange Skin Type Moist skin, smooth to slightly warty, with toxin-producing glands (especially parotoid/poison glands behind the head). The skin releases steroidal alkaloids (samandarin-class) used for chemical defense. Distinctive Features

• Fire Salamander (Salamandra salamandra) is a robust terrestrial salamander of European deciduous and mixed forests; often hides under logs, stones, and leaf litter. Active in cool, humid weather, mostly at night or twilight.
• Adult total length commonly ~15-25 cm, with large individuals reported up to ~30 cm (standard values widely given in European herpetological references; e.g., Arnold & Ovenden, 2002; Speybroeck et al., 2016).
• Females release live aquatic larvae into small streams, springs, or pond edges. Larvae have external gills and finned tails and become land juveniles. Some subspecies give birth to fully formed young, but this is rare.
• Chemical defense: when threatened, can exude milky skin secretions from dorsal glands/parotoids; secretions are toxic/irritant and support the warning coloration (aposematism).
• Fire Salamander (Salamandra salamandra) often lives about 10–20 years in the wild, and in captivity can live much longer, with some records reaching around 50 years.
• Local threats: being killed on roads when moving on wet nights, breaking up and loss of forest-floor homes, and chytrid fungal disease (especially Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans, Bsal) that hits fire salamanders.

Sexual Dimorphism

Sexes are similar in overall coloration/pattern, but show modest dimorphism most evident during the breeding season (commonly noted in European herpetological references such as Speybroeck et al., 2016).

♂

• Typically smaller and more slender-bodied than females.
• Cloaca becomes noticeably swollen/prominent in the breeding season.
• Often proportionally longer tail than females (population-dependent; subtle in the field compared to cloacal differences).

♀

• Typically larger and more robust-bodied, especially when gravid (carrying developing larvae).
• Cloaca generally less swollen/less prominent than in breeding males.

Photo Gallery

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Did You Know?

Adult total length is typically ~15-25 cm; exceptionally up to ~30 cm in large individuals.

Longevity is high for an amphibian: commonly 10-20+ years in the wild; captive records can exceed 40 years (often cited up to ~50).

Females usually give birth to aquatic larvae (not eggs laid in water): commonly ~20-70 larvae, each about 25-35 mm long at birth.

Larvae develop in streams/springs with external gills and usually metamorphose in ~2-5 months (temperature and food dependent).

Its skin glands produce steroidal alkaloids (notably samandarin/samandarone) that can cause intense irritation and neurotoxic effects in predators.

Color pattern varies by region-some populations show orange or even red spotting/stripes, but the high-contrast pattern consistently functions as a warning signal.

This species is among the amphibians most threatened by the emerging fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal), which has caused severe local declines in parts of NW Europe.

Unique Adaptations

• Aposematic coloration: glossy black skin with yellow/orange patches is a high-contrast warning signal that enhances predator learning and avoidance.
• Potent chemical defense: specialized skin glands (including prominent parotoid glands) secrete steroidal alkaloids (e.g., samandarin), deterring vertebrate predators.
• Dual habitat life cycle: aquatic larvae with external gills and finned tails exploit running water; metamorphosed adults become primarily terrestrial forest dwellers.
• Reproductive flexibility across its range: many populations are larviparous (aquatic larvae), while some are viviparous and give birth to fully metamorphosed young-an adaptation to local aquatic conditions.
• Moisture-retaining, robust build: thick, gland-rich skin and a sturdy terrestrial body plan support life in humid forests while allowing limited movement during drier periods by sheltering in deep refuges.

Interesting Behaviors

• Nocturnal and rain-active: adults are most visible on mild, wet nights, often after dusk, moving between refuges and foraging sites.
• Sit-and-wait hunting: feeds mainly on earthworms, slugs, insects, and other invertebrates, striking at close range rather than chasing prey.
• Internal fertilization courtship: males deposit a spermatophore that females pick up with the cloaca; mating often occurs on land near breeding waters.
• Larval release behavior: gravid females enter shallow, cool streams/springs and deposit larvae directly into water (or, in some populations, give birth to fully metamorphosed juveniles).
• Strong site fidelity: adults often use the same daytime refuges (logs, stones, root cavities) and can return to familiar shelter sites after displacement.
• Defensive display: when threatened, individuals arch the body and may exude milky toxin from parotoid and dorsal glands; secretions can be smeared onto an attacker.

Cultural Significance

Fire Salamander (Salamandra salamandra) with its yellow-on-black pattern was a symbol in European woodlands and art, linked to fire and protection. Now a conservation symbol for clean forest streams, threatened by habitat fragmentation, road deaths, pollution, and diseases like Bsal.

Myths & Legends

Classical tradition (Pliny the Elder) described the salamander as so cold it could extinguish flames by crawling into a fire-an influential idea that fueled later European lore about "fire-dwelling" salamanders.

Medieval European bestiaries repeated and embellished the belief that salamanders lived in fire and could pass through flames unharmed, turning the animal into a moral symbol of endurance or purity under trial.

Renaissance occult philosophy (e.g., Paracelsus) treated "salamanders" as elemental spirits of fire-mythic beings associated with flames, distinct from but inspired by the real animal's name and reputation.

European folklore connected the salamander with poison: stories warned that a salamander's touch could taint food or drink, reflecting long-standing fear of its defensive secretions.

The "salamander wool" legend: in Europe, asbestos fibers were sometimes called "salamander wool," believed in legend to come from salamanders and to resist burning-reinforcing the animal's fire-proof reputation.

French royal symbolism: the salamander became an emblem associated with King Francis I, often paired with mottos about enduring and mastering fire-an enduring cultural image of the salamander as a creature of flame.

Conservation Status

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant in the wild.

Population Decreasing

Protected Under

• EU Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC: listed on Annex IV (species in need of strict protection) across EU member states where it occurs
• Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats: listed in Appendix III (protected fauna species)
• Widely protected under national/regional wildlife legislation across much of its European range; collection and killing are typically prohibited or regulated

Life Cycle

Birth 30 larvas Lifespan 12 years

Lifespan

In the Wild 5–20 years In Captivity 10–50 years

Reproduction

Mating System Polygynandry Social Structure Solitary Breeding Pattern Seasonal Fertilization Internal Fertilization Birth Type Internal_fertilization

Fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra) mates on land by spermatophore (internal fertilization). Adults are solitary with no pair bond. Both sexes mate with several partners and females can store sperm. Females give birth to live larvae (larviparous), about 20–50, and leave them in water.

Behavior & Ecology

Social No formal group name Group: 1 Activity Nocturnal, Crepuscular, Cathemeral Diet Insectivore Earthworms Seasonal Hibernates

Temperament

+1 more Show less Secretive and shelter-oriented; surface activity is strongly weather-dependent and peaks on humid/rainy nights, with occasional daytime movement during wet conditions (Thiesmeier & Grossenbacher 2004). Generally non-aggressive outside reproduction; during courtship males may physically jostle or block rivals at close range rather than form stable dominance hierarchies (Thiesmeier & Grossenbacher 2004). Strong site fidelity/philopatry to terrestrial refuges and local breeding areas is common, but the degree varies among habitats and populations (Jehle & Arntzen 2000; Thiesmeier & Grossenbacher 2004). Defensive and bold when threatened: aposematic coloration, body-raising/arching postures, and secretion of toxic skin compounds (samandarin alkaloids) from parotoid/skin glands (Brodie et al. 1979; Thiesmeier & Grossenbacher 2004).

Communication

No advertisement calls; acoustic signaling is not a primary communication mode in this species General consensus for Salamandra; see Thiesmeier & Grossenbacher 2004 Chemical Pheromonal) cues during courtship: male uses cloacal/skin secretions and close-contact behavior to coordinate spermatophore uptake (Thiesmeier & Grossenbacher 2004 Tactile courtship: nudging, following, and body contact guide the female over the spermatophore; physical interference between males may occur at close range Thiesmeier & Grossenbacher 2004 Visual signaling primarily defensive: high-contrast yellow/black pattern functions as aposematic signaling to predators; display postures expose glands and emphasize coloration Brodie et al. 1979 Spatial/olfactory orientation: individuals use olfactory cues and local environmental landmarks for homing/site fidelity to refuges and breeding areas; strength of this pattern varies by population Jehle & Arntzen 2000

Habitat

Show all Show less Deciduous Forest Forest Coniferous Forest Woodland Mountain Cave River/Stream Pond Wetland Agricultural/Farmland Suburban Urban +6 Biomes: Temperate Forest Mediterranean Freshwater Wetland Alpine Terrain: Mountainous Hilly Valley Riverine Karst Rocky Elevation: Up to 2,000 m

Ecological Role

Terrestrial mesopredator of forest-floor and riparian invertebrate communities (with an aquatic larval predatory phase), linking detritus-based food webs to higher trophic levels.

Regulation of soil and leaf-litter invertebrate populations (including slugs and insect larvae) Energy/nutrient transfer between aquatic (larval) and terrestrial (adult) ecosystems via metamorphosis and feeding Contribution to forest-floor food-web stability by predation on multiple invertebrate guilds Serves as prey (despite toxicity) for some predators, supporting higher trophic levels and trophic complexity

Diet Details

Show all Show less Main Prey: Earthworm Slug Snail Woodlice Spider Centipede Millipede Beetle Ants, wasps, bees and relatives Flies and fly larvae Caterpillars Aquatic insect larvae Small freshwater crustaceans +7

Human Interaction

Domestication Status

Wild

Fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra) is a wild, non‑domesticated European amphibian. It often lives near people in forests, orchards, stone walls, cellars, and spring‑fed rural areas and is used in education and research as a warning‑colored (aposematic) species. It has not been domesticated; captive lines are for hobby or teaching. Salamandrids face protection, captive display, and chytrid/Bsal trade limits.

Danger Level

Moderate

• Defensive skin secretions contain potent steroidal alkaloids (commonly referenced compounds include samandarin and related alkaloids) that can irritate skin and mucous membranes; eye contact can be painful and may require medical attention.
• Ingestion (including via contaminated hands, or by pets/children mouthing the animal) can cause significant gastrointestinal and neurologic symptoms (e.g., nausea/vomiting, hypersalivation, possible tremors/convulsions in severe exposures).
• Handling stress can increase toxin secretion; the main practical risk is improper handling and hygiene rather than attack/biting.

As a Pet

Not Suitable as Pet

Legality: Fire Salamander laws vary and are often strict. In much of Europe wild collection is banned; captive-bred keeping may need permits. In the U.S. import and interstate transport are banned under the Lacey Act; states vary. Check local laws.

Care Level: Experienced

Purchase Cost: $50 - $200 Lifetime Cost: $1,000 - $3,500

Economic Value

Uses: Education/outreach Research (toxicology, skin alkaloids, amphibian disease ecology) Wildlife/ecosystem services (bioindicator of forest and spring quality) Limited regulated pet trade (captive-bred only in some jurisdictions) Products:

• No conventional products; value is primarily non-consumptive (research, education, conservation).

Relationships

Predators 6

Grass snake Natrix natrix Dice snake Natrix tessellata European hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus Wild boar Sus scrofa Eurasian Buzzard Buteo buteo Brown trout Salmo trutta

Related Species 8

Algerian fire salamander Salamandra algira Shared Genus Near Eastern fire salamander Salamandra infraimmaculata Shared Genus Alpine salamander Salamandra atra Shared Genus Lanza's alpine salamander Salamandra lanzai Shared Genus Iberian ribbed newt Pleurodeles waltl Shared Family Italian spectacled salamander Salamandrina terdigitata Shared Family Great crested newt Triturus cristatus Shared Family Smooth newt Lissotriton vulgaris Shared Family

Ecological Equivalents 4

Animals that fill a similar ecological role in their ecosystem

Spotted salamander Ambystoma maculatum Sturdy woodland salamander that is mostly terrestrial and nocturnal, hiding under logs and leaf litter and feeding on soil invertebrates. Like the Fire Salamander (Salamandra salamandra), adults return to water to breed. Great crested newt Triturus cristatus Uses the same European forest and edge habitats as fire salamanders at night. Eats earthworms, slugs, and other arthropods. Breeds in small ponds and ditches and typically spends more time in water. Common toad Bufo bufo A European forest-floor amphibian mostly active at night and at twilight; a ground-hunting insectivore that hides by day in damp woods and faces the same predators. Both species have skin toxins, though the fire salamander's toxins are stronger. European adder Vipera berus Occupies overlapping temperate woodland and edge habitats and can be part of the same trophic web; salamanders can be prey for some snakes despite Fire Salamander skin toxins.

The fire salamander is the best-known salamander in Europe and a common species of salamander in Central and Southern Europe.

As a middle to large-sized and strongly built salamander, it is so well-known not only due to its prevalence but bright warning colors and poisonous liquid spray. Its name comes from the old belief that it came from fire. As an exotic-looking amphibian, it is also commonly kept as a pet.

5 Incredible Fire Salamander Facts!

• It’s one of Europe’s largest salamanders.
• Many subspecies are poisonous.
• Its bright colors warn predators that it’s dangerous.
• Females give birth to live salamanders, unlike other species.
• It hides under logs, and when people gather the logs to make a fire, it runs out — hence, its name.

Scientific Name

The fire salamander belongs to the class Amphibia (amphibians), Order Urodela (lizard-like amphibians), and Family Salamandridae (true salamanders and newts). It belongs to the genus Salamandra, which has 6 species of salamanders found in central and southern Europe, North Africa, and Western Asia.

The scientific name of the fire salamander is Salamandra salamandra, with S. salamandra salamandra (spotted fire salamander) being the nominate subspecies or species type. There are 13 subspecies. 2 subspecies (fastuosa and bernadezi) are viviparous, meaning the young develop inside the mother and are born live, while the rest are ovoviviparous, meaning the young develop in eggs inside the mother until they’re ready to hatch.

4 former subspecies are now recognized as distinct species after unique facts arose from genetic research:

• S. algira – Bedriaga, 1883 – African fire salamander
• S. corsica – Savi, 1838 – Corsican fire salamander
• S. infraimmaculata – Martens, 1885 – Near Eastern fire salamander
• S. longirostris – Joger & Steinfartz, 1994 – south Iberian fire salamander

Evolution And History

The salamander was most likely a descendant of the giant salamander-like amphibian that scientists discovered in Portugal called Metoposaurus algarvensis. Nicknamed the super salamander, it lived in the waters of Europe more than 200 million years ago. Part of a group of amphibians called Temnospondyls, this super salamander was found worldwide and presumably included the ancestors of the modern salamder.

Appearance

The colors of the fire salamander are primarily black with yellow blotches and spots, although in certain subspecies orange and red may replace or mix into the yellow portion. Males and females are alike in appearance, except during the breeding season when the males have a swollen gland around their vent, which contains a spermatophore. It grows to a length of 15–30 cm (6-12 in), but usually only reaches half of that and a weight of about 40g (0.09 lbs).

A middle to large-sized salamander species, it has a strongly built body. Another characteristic, per its Subfamily Salamandrinae, is the rough skin and lack of rib or costal grooves along the sides of their bodies. In Europe, it is the largest salamander species.

Behavior

The behavior of the fire salamander is largely solitary. A reclusive amphibian, it prefers to hide under logs, leaves, other objects, and around mossy tree trunks. It is nocturnal, being active in the evening and at night, but they are diurnal when it rains.

Habitat

The natural habitat of these animals is the forest, its biome being deciduous, hilly forests and mountain ranges in Europe, North Africa, and cooler areas of the Middle East. Small brooks, streams, or ponds are necessary for their biome so they can soak themselves. It lives at altitudes between 250 meters (820 ft) and 1,000 meters (3,300 ft) and rarely as low as 25 meters (82 ft).

• S. s. alfredschmidti (Asturian Fire Salamander): Iberian.
• S. s. almanzoris (Almanzor Fire Salamander): High altitude, Sistema Mountains of Central Spain.
• S. s. bejarae: Low altitude, Sistema Mountains of Central Spain.
• S. s. bernardezi: Iberian.
• S. s. beschkovi: Bulgaria.
• S. s. crespoi: Iberian.
• S. s. fastuosa or S. bonalli (yellow-striped fire salamander): Iberian
• S. s. gallaica (Galician fire salamander): Iberian.
• S. s. gigliolii: Italy
• S. s. morenica: North Africa.
• S. s. salamandra (spotted fire salamander): Balkans.
• S. s. terrestris (barred or banded fire salamander): Mainland Europe, northwest Africa, and the Mediterranean coast.
• S. s. werneri: Bulgaria.

Diet

The fire salamander’s diet is carnivorous. It preys upon insects, spiders, earthworms, slugs, newts, and young frogs. In captivity, its diet consists of crickets, mealworms, waxworms, and silkworm larvae. When catching prey, it uses its teeth or tongue to grab them.

Predators And Threats

These animals have few natural predators, due to the toxins in their skin, which can sicken or kill predators, as well as the liquid spray it produces when threatened. Toxin glands are concentrated around its head, dorsal skin surface, and tail. Its primary alkaloid toxin, samandrin, causes strong muscle convulsions, hypertension, and hyperventilation in all vertebrates. Grass snakes have been known to eat adult fire salamanders, while other predators prefer to catch the young. Larger reptiles, hawks, and eagles may occasionally prey upon the fire salamander if are immune or develop an immunity to its toxins.

The biggest threat to these animals is the Bsal fungus (Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans), which was accidentally introduced from Asia by people importing Asian newts to sell as pets. This deadly fungus makes it impossible for them to absorb oxygen through their skin or eat. Since its discovery in 2013, Bsal has killed thousands of native salamanders in Europe.

Reproduction And Life Cycle

These animals have two different forms of reproduction in their subspecies. Two subspecies (fastuosa and bernadezi) are viviparous, meaning the young develop inside the mother and are born live. All of the other subspecies are ovoviviparous, meaning the young develop in eggs inside the mother until they’re ready to hatch. Unlike other species of salamanders, they give birth to live young but still live near small brooks, ponds, or streams in order to soak themselves.

Breeding season begins in spring and lasts until autumn, most common during late spring and early summer, with mating on land biomes. Those subspecies living in warmer climates, such as in the Middle East, mate between October and January. Gestation usually takes place during hibernation for 2-5 months. Fire salamander reproduction is sexual, with the male confronting the female and blocking her path, then rubbing her with his chin to express interest. He then grabs her front limbs with his own, deposits a spermatophore (which contains a sperm packet), and attempts to lower the female to get her cloaca in contact with it. If successful, the female draws in the sperm packet and fertilizes the eggs inside her body.

The eggs develop internally and when they are hatching, the female deposits them into the water in those subspecies where the larvae are not born live. She can give birth to 20-75 young with an average of 20-30. The young reach sexual maturity at 4-6 years.

The typical lifespan is over 6-14 years with an average maximum of 30 years but can live up to 50 years in rare cases. In captivity as a pet, its lifespan is usually 6-14 years with an average of 10 years.

Population

The numbers of these animals are stable and listed as Least Concern according to the IUCN. However, research on estimated population sizes is needed.

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Fire Salamander Pictures

View all of our Fire Salamander pictures in the gallery.

Marek R. Swadzba/Shutterstock.com

Sources

1. Wikipedia / Accessed April 22, 2021
2. Weebly / Accessed April 22, 2021
3. Nature Portfolio Ecology & Evolution Community / Accessed April 22, 2021
4. Caudata Culture / Accessed April 22, 2021
5. San Diego Zoo / Accessed April 22, 2021
6. Pinnacle Mobile / Accessed April 22, 2021
7. Age determination of fire salamander Age determination of fire salamander / Accessed April 22, 2021
8. Science / Accessed April 22, 2021
9. Bioweb / Accessed April 22, 2021
10. Active Wild / Accessed April 22, 2021
11. Pet Educate / Accessed April 22, 2021
12. Critter Facts / Accessed April 22, 2021

About the Author

Melissa Bauernfeind

Melissa Bauernfeind was born in NYC and got her degree in Journalism from Boston University. She lived in San Diego for 10 years and is now back in NYC. She loves adventure and traveling the world with her husband but always misses her favorite little man, "P", half Chihuahua/half Jack Russell, all trouble. She got dive-certified so she could dive with the Great White Sharks someday and is hoping to swim with the Orcas as well. Connect:

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Fire Salamander FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

What is a fire salamander?

A fire salamander is a common salamander species in central and southern Europe, so-called due to its fiery colors.

Are fire salamanders poisonous?

Many of them are, yes.

Are fire salamanders resistant to fire?

No. This belief stems from their fiery colors as well as the old myth that they came from or were born out of fire, due to their hiding and running out from under logs when people would gather them to make fires.

Can you touch a fire salamander?

Yes, but it is preferable to wear gloves when doing so. The toxins are not poisonous unless they are ingested.

What is the lifespan of a fire salamander?

The fire salamander can live anywhere between 6-50 years.

View Fire Salamander Photos

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