Chenggong fire belly newt

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Chenggong fire belly newt
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Urodela
Family: Salamandridae
Genus: Cynops
Species:
C. chenggongensis
Binomial name
Cynops chenggongensis
Kou and Xing, 1983

The Chenggong fire belly newt (Cynops chenggongensis) is a species of newt of China. It is only known from its type locality, Shuitan in the Chenggong District of Yunnan. [2]

Chinese Fire Belly Newts grow to be about two to four inches in length. Their backs are dark brown or black. However, their captivating feature is their colored belly, which is typically bright orange or red, marked with black spots. Their fiery underside is not just part of their appearance; it serves as their natural warning to let predators know their skin contains toxins. [3]

References

  1. IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (2020). "Cynops chenggongensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2020 e.T59439A63869509. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T59439A63869509.en . Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  2. Frost, Darrel R. (2014). "Cynops chenggongensis Kou and Xing, 1983". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  3. Living with fire: A guide to the Chinese fire belly newt, October 3, 2025, retrieved 2025-10-31