likely due to strong selection. A genetic variance of 4% was found to be due to phenological circumstances in the populations of amber salamander between two regions separated by geographic isolation. Behavior The egg sacs produced by the males are quite long, ranging from 17 to 30 cm and differ from other species of the same genus, Hynobius boulengeri, by not having the prominent whip-like formation on the free end. Each clutch ranges from 21–57 eggs, and the female remains close to her clutch until the eggs have hatched. The hatched larvae are a yellowish color and the fingers and toes sport black claws. These larvae undergo a metamorphosis while living in the stream, and emerge in September and October of the same year they are laid, but many wintering larvae remain in the stream until spring or summer of the following year when they emerge. Threats The amber salamander is harmed by hunting and trapping, logging, and wood harvesting. Major threats also include the construction of roads, deforestation, erosion, and pollution. The amber salamander is also used for medicine and food. H. stejnegeri is also used in the medical field of comparative hepatology. In an experiment, when the mother was removed, the eggs vanished, presumably eaten by freshwater crabs or some other predator. This suggests survival of the larvae is contingent on the mother's protection. Conservation The extent of occurrence is less than 20,000 km2, the species are fragmented in distribution, regionally only in Japan, with a continuing decline in the extent and quality of their habitat. The amber salamander was considered near threatened by the Environment Agency of Japan in 2000. It was determined near threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2021. Now, the amber salamander is on the Earth's Endangered Creatures List. It is designated a natural monument by Kumamoto Prefecture. There is a need to ensure the capture of this species from the wild is managed in a sustainable way. References Hynobius Endemic amphibians of Japan Amphibians described in 1923 Taxa named by Emmett Reid Dunn Taxonomy articles created by Polbot