CHN Press: 湖南绥宁发现中华小鲵 曾和恐龙同住地球

CHN Press: 湖南绥宁发现中华小鲵 曾和恐龙同住地球

{Photos at URL below}

REDNET /红网 (Shaoyang, China) 20 August 09 湖南绥宁发现中华小鲵 曾和恐龙同住地球（通讯员袁光汉）
近日，在湖南省绥宁县黄桑自然保护区周围多条溪河段发现了濒临灭绝的珍稀动物中华小鲵。这种小鲵体长约10厘米，皮肤呈黑色，腹部有黄褐色斑，重量在200克左右。据当地村民反映，很多没有保护意识的村民每天用麻鱼机在此电捉小鲵，数量惊人。
据资料显示：中华小鲵是一种两栖爬行动物，中国特有的珍贵野生动物，有着3亿年生存历史，与恐龙同处一个发展时代，现存数目极为稀少。1986年，它与大熊猫一起被列入《中国濒危动物红皮书》。如此珍贵的动物希望有关部门加强保护，设立必要的保护区。
http://hn.rednet.cn/c/2009/08/20/1811377.htm

Re: CHN Press: 湖南绥宁发现中华小鲵 曾和恐龙同住地球

I read a little Chinese - the article is saying (I think) that this species of Salamander (Hynobius chinensis?) is almost extinct in China due to current farming methods.

Re: CHN Press: 湖南绥宁发现中华小鲵 曾和恐龙同住地球

donny said:

I read a little Chinese - the article is saying (I think) that this species of Salamander (Hynobius chinensis?) is almost extinct in China due to current farming methods.

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i don't think it says about the farming methods. it says the farmers catch them for money and cause them to be nearly extinct

Re: CHN Press: 湖南绥宁发现中华小鲵 曾和恐龙同住地球

jyxie said:

i don't think it says about the farming methods. it says the farmers catch them for money and cause them to be nearly extinct

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Literal Translation:

It reported that a lot of uneducated villagers use electric shock to harvest great number of these salamanders.

(they did not mention what they are for)

AW: CHN Press: 湖南绥宁发现中华小鲵 曾和恐龙同住地球

Looks rather like a member of Salamandridae and not Hynobiidae to me. Looks in fact like a Pachytriton. The use of electrical current (DC) is a well established method for carefully catching freshwater fish. The animals are shocked (electronarcosis) and may be handled for e.g. measuring. The fish will usually wake up after some minutes without any ill effects. Most of the times respectively in many countries, however, it is forbidden to use this kind of catching technique, at least without a special permit. It is often used for scientific or management purposes like population assessment. I have seen frogs, which accidentally entered the electric field, react to the current and they usually fall into a state of spasmodic rigour. Definitely not a gentle method for these amphibians, I'd say.

Electrofishing without skilled staff and proper equipment or under unfavourable conditions will hurt respectively kill the animals and often might severly injure or even kill the electrofisher.

Re: CHN Press: 湖南绥宁发现中华小鲵 曾和恐龙同住地球

I'd say it's Pachytriton as well... it doesn't look like Hynobius to me.