The amber salamander, amber-colored salamander, tortoiseshell salamander, or Stejneger's oriental salamander (Hynobius stejnegeri) is a species of salamander in the family Hynobiidae, endemic to Japan. Its natural habitats are temperate forests and rivers. It is threatened by habitat loss. Physical characteristics As its name suggests, the external appearance is that of semitransparent blackish brown ground color, blotched with bright amber. Its ventral surface is lighter and without blotches. The amber salamander has a snout-to-vent length of 76–85 mm and a total length of 137–155 mm. However, individuals have been reported to have been nearly 200 mm in length. The head appears to be oval when viewed from above and the eyes are prominent, and a gular fold is present. It has a robust and cylindrical body with 13 to 14 costal grooves. It is similar to Hynobius kimurae in color, but has only four toes, a longer series of vomerine teeth, and a longer body. Taxonomy According to a recent study led by Matsui, Nishikawa and Tominaga, Hynobius stejnegeri and Hynobius yatsui are identical. The name H. yatsui is therefore relegated to a subjective junior synonym of H. stejnegeri. According to the same study, a population of Hynobius stejnegeri from Kyushu should be treated as a new species Hynobius ikioi. Habitat and ecology This species of salamander is found only in Kyushu, Japan, and is distributed among the mountainous areas of the prefectures of Kumamoto, Miyazaki, and Northern Kagoshima. The various regional populations of the amber salamanders are separated by a number of geographic barriers, including the Gokase River and the Aso Volcano, the Kirishima Volcano, and the Yatsushiro Sea. It can be found in both terrestrial (land) and freshwater ecosystems. Its land habitat is located in temperate forests which consist of mountainous areas of broad-leaved, evergreen forests, as well as mixed forests. The freshwater habitat is located in wetlands of permanent rivers, streams, and creeks, including waterfalls. Habitats have been discovered in and around mountainous streams at altitudes ranging from 500–1500 m. They return to upstream areas to breed, and this is also where the larvae develop. Their diets are made up of insects, spiders, worms, aquatic insect larvae, and crustaceans, and they have been known to resort to cannibalism. The unique possible cryptic coloration is hypothesized to act as a camouflage among fallen leaves. If the color pattern is an effective deterrent from predators, then this characteristic is