Nature and consciousness's video: A fire salamander Salamandra salamandra on the path in the forest in the Carpathian Mountains

A fire salamander, Salamandra salamandra, on the path, in the forest, in the Carpathian Mountains The fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra) is a common species of salamander found in Europe. It is black with yellow spots or stripes to a varying degree; some specimens can be nearly completely black while on others the yellow is dominant. Shades of red and orange may sometimes appear, either replacing or mixing with the yellow according to subspecies. This bright coloration is highly conspicuous and acts to deter predators by honest signalling of its toxicity. Fire salamanders can have a very long lifespan; one specimen lived for more than 50 years in Museum Koenig, a German natural history museum. Fire salamanders live in the forests of central Europe and are more common in hilly areas. They prefer deciduous forests since they like to hide in fallen leaves and around mossy tree trunks. They need small brooks or ponds with clean water in their habitat for the development of the larvae. Whether on land or in water, fire salamanders are inconspicuous. They spend much of their time hidden under wood or other objects. They are active in the evening and the night, but on rainy days they are active in the daytime as well. The diet of the fire salamander consists of various insects, spiders, millipedes, centipedes, earthworms and slugs, but they also occasionally eat newts and young frogs. In captivity, they eat crickets, mealworms, waxworms and silkworm larvae. A fire salamander, Salamandra salamandra, on the path, in the forest, in the Carpathian Mountains