any tailed amphibian; Order Caudata includes newts, salamanders,
and caecilians (pronounced "sicilians"). A caecilian is like a
giant worm.
cloaca
The all-purpose genital and excretory opening of a salamander.
Most everything that comes out of a newt's body does so here.
neotenic (adj), neoteny (noun)
refers to a caudate that does not normally metamorphose.
In other words, it looks like a tadpole its whole life, even
when it is sexually mature. Some salamanders have both neotenic
and 'normal' forms. Neotenics can often be forced to morph by
simulating drought conditions and/or adding iodine to the water
to stimulate production of thyroxine.
Neotenics are generally much larger than terrestrial salamanders;
a neotenic Ambystoma tigrinum can be 30 inches long, while
the terrestrial form rarely exceeds 10 inches. See also "paedogenesis."
paedogenesis
Sometimes used as a synonym for "neoteny," paedogenesis is
the phenomenon neotenics are capable of: reproducing while
otherwise physically immature.
salamander
See the FAQ for the difference
between newts and salamanders. Basically, a salamander, as I use
the term here, is a newt and/or a salamander.
spermatophore
the caudate version of sperm. When salamanders mate, there's
a complicated courtship display, and it ends with the male
depositing a spermatophore on the ground; the female picks it
up with her cloaca. The eggs are fertilized inside the female, and
then she lays the eggs.
thyroxine
a substance produced by a tadpole's thyroid gland that causes
it to metamorphosize. See the thyroxine page.
waterdog
a very confusing word; I'd advise you not to use it unless you define
it first. 1) any animal of the genus Necturus, but not the mudpuppy
(Necturus maculosus). There's a dwarf waterdog, the alabama waterdog,
& many more. 2)a salamander larva; waterdog is to salamander as
tadpole is to frog. 3)any aquatic salamander thing, including
(but not limited to) larvae and neotenics. 4)an axolotl. 5)a tiger
salamander larva. 6)anything else you want it to be.
