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New Giant Salamander Species Identified from 3.5-Million-Year-Old Fossils

24 Temmuz 2026Science Daily

A new genus and species of giant salamander, Limnospondylus ajimuensis, has been identified from fossils found in Japan over twenty years ago. This species lived approximately 3.5 million years ago in a warmer and wetter environment in Kyushu, potentially reaching lengths of 1.1 meters.
The discovery suggests that there may be many more unidentified giant salamander species among fossils that have been misclassified in the past.
Giant salamanders are among the largest amphibians in the world, and their evolutionary history is still being unraveled. The discovery of this new species adds to the known diversity of the group and highlights the significance of fossil records in understanding ancient ecosystems.
The identification of Limnospondylus ajimuensis not only enriches our understanding of amphibian evolution but also raises questions about the classification methods used in paleontology. As more fossils are re-examined with advanced techniques, we may uncover a wealth of biodiversity that has remained hidden due to…

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This article is based on research findings and may be subject to further validation and peer review.