| | Salamandrinae | | | ––––––––––––– | | | ... | 1 Pachytriton | | | | ... | 1 Tylototriton | | | | 14 Triton | 2 Triton | 2 Triton | | | 1 Salamandrina | | | | | 1 Chioglossa | | | | | 3 Salamandra | | | | +–––––––––––––––––+––––––––––––––––––+––––––––––––––––––+ | | 21 species, | 15 species, | 66 species, | | | 6 genera | 11 genera | 18 genera | +–––––––––––––––+–––––––––––––––––+––––––––––––––––––+––––––––––––––––––+ The occurrence of an _Amblystoma_, _A. persimile_, in the mountains of Siam and Burmah, is most suggestive, and others will in all probability be found. It must also be borne in {97}mind that the differences between the genera of Amblystomatinae are in reality very slight; and the same applies to the sub-families themselves. The presence or absence of teeth on the parasphenoid, the possession of amphi- or opistho-coelous vertebrae, do not mean much, and certainly do not forbid the notion that all the recent Urodela are the offspring of one common generalised stock which inhabited the northern portion of the globe. Nothing is gained by hiding the solitary European species of the essentially American genus _Spelerpes_ under the name of _Geotriton_. It is a _Spelerpes_ in all characteristic points. Speaking broadly, each of the three principal sub-families of Salamandridae is characteristic of a sub-region; the Salamandrinae of the Western Palaearctic, the Plethodontinae of the American, while the Amblystomatinae are chiefly Asiatic, at least so far as diversity of genera is concerned. FAM. 1. AMPHIUMIDAE.–Without gills in the perfect state. The gill-clefts are in a vanishing stage, being either reduced to one pair of small holes or being altogether absent. The maxillary bones are present. Teeth occur in both jaws; those of the vomers form transverse rows. The vertebrae are amphicoelous. The fore-limbs and hind-limbs are present, but small. The small eyes are devoid of lids. This family is now represented by two genera, with only three species, found in the United States and in Eastern Asia. _Cryptobranchus._–The limbs are functional, with four fingers and five toes. The outer digits and the sides of the limbs are bordered with folds of skin. The head and body are stout and depressed; the tail is short, laterally compressed, and provided with a fin. The skin is very glandular and slimy, and forms a thick, irregularly-shaped fold along the side of the body.