Cynops ensicauda (Hallowell, 1861)
Accepted species in Catalogue of Life’s 11 September 2026 base release. This preserves the source classification and available supporting data; it is not a completed species monograph.
Open encyclopedia reference
The sword-tailed newt, yellow-bellied newt, or Okinawa newt (Cynops ensicauda) is a species of true salamander from the Ryukyu Archipelago in Japan.
It has recently been placed on Japan's Red List of Threatened Amphibians. Sword-tail newts are poisonous, and may also be referred to as fire-bellied newts due to the orange coloration of their underside. They are not to be confused with the common Chinese and Japanese species. It is distinguished from these two species by their larger size, broader heads and smoother skin. Its coloration ranges from brown to black, occasionally with an orange dorsal stripe. Some individuals may have light spotting or speckling on their backs.
Sword-tailed newts can reach 12.8 cm (5.0 in) in males and 18 cm (7.1 in) in females. They are the largest living members of their genus. They exhibit sexual dimorphism. Females' tails are longer than the rest of their body; those of males are much shorter, and sometimes display a whitish sheen during breeding season.
Wikipedia contributors, Sword-tail newt; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T15:50:28.975559+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Cynops ensicauda (Hallowell, 1861)
- Name authority
- (Hallowell, 1861)
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Amphibia
- Order
- Caudata
- Family
- Salamandridae
- Genus
- Cynops
- Extinction status
- Recorded extant
Classification family tree
Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.
- domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumChordata
- subphylumVertebrata
- infraphylumGnathostomata
- parvphylumOsteichthyes
- megaclassTetrapoda
- classAmphibia
- orderCaudata
- familySalamandridae Goldfuss, 1820
- subfamilyPleurodelinae Tschudi, 1838
- genusCynops Tschudi, 1838
- speciesCynops ensicauda (Hallowell, 1861)
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Cynops. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
| Species | Classification | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| Cynops pyrrhogaster (Boie, 1826) | SalamandridaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
Names & synonyms
Names explicitly linked to this accepted taxon in the source. Synonymy can change with revision.
| Recorded name | Source status |
|---|---|
| Triturus ensicauda (Hallowell, 1861) (Hallowell, 1861) | synonym |
| Cynops ensicauda popei (Inger, 1947) (Inger, 1947) | synonym |
| Molge pyrrhogastra ensicaudatus (Hallowell, 1861) (Hallowell, 1861) | synonym |
| Triturus ensicaudus popei Inger, 1947 Inger, 1947 | synonym |
| Diemictylus ensicauda (Hallowell, 1861) (Hallowell, 1861) | synonym |
| Triturus ensicaudus (Hallowell, 1861) (Hallowell, 1861) | synonym |
| Cynops ensicauda ensicauda (Hallowell, 1861) (Hallowell, 1861) | synonym |
| Cynops pyrrhogaster popei (Inger, 1947) (Inger, 1947) | synonym |
| Molge pyrrhogaster ensicauda (Hallowell, 1861) (Hallowell, 1861) | synonym |
| Triturus ensicaudus ensicaudus (Hallowell, 1861) (Hallowell, 1861) | synonym |
| Triturus pyrrhogaster ensicaudus (Hallowell, 1861) (Hallowell, 1861) | synonym |
| Triton ensicauda Hallowell, 1861 Hallowell, 1861 | synonym |
Source literature & publication evidence
References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.
- https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=668364 Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references
Origins, evidence & remaining research
Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.
Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record. A suitable sourced image remains to be added.
Dataset citation & attribution
This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11
Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.
Stable key: col:6C7WR. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.