Japanese Giant Salamander

The Japanese giant salamander, being restricted to streams with clear cool water, is entirely aquatic and nocturnal. It has a very poor eyesight, and possesses special sensory cells that are arranged on its skin, running from head to toe.This lineage is called the lateral line system. The sensory cells host hair like shapes that trace out the minimum amount of vibration in the environment, quite similar to what the hair inside our ear does. This skill is very important as well as of utmost significance to it because of its poor eyesight. It feeds mainly on insects, frogs and fish. As it has a very slow metabolism and lacks natural competitors, it is a long-lived species, with the captive record being an individual that lived in the Natura Artis Magistra, the Netherlands, for 52 years. In the wild they may live beyond 60 years old.