Chinese fire belly newt

The Chinese fire belly newt (Cynops orientalis) is a small (2.2–4.0 inches (5.6–10.2 cm)) black newt, with bright-orange aposematic coloration on their ventral sides. C. orientalis is commonly seen in pet stores, where it is frequently confused with the Japanese fire belly newt (C. pyrrhogaster) due to similarities in size and coloration. C. orientalis typically exhibits smoother skin and a rounder tail than C. pyrrhogaster, and has less obvious parotoid glands.

C. orientalis is endemic to subtropical forests in East-Central China and prefers to live in shallow, semiaquatic environments such as abandoned paddies and ponds with dense vegetation. Like many amphibians, the Chinese fire belly newt hibernates. In order to maintain homeostasis, clusters of melanin cells will gather in the liver, darkening the skin of the newt.

gsdf, or Gonadal Soma-Derived Factor, is a gene functioning in testis development within fish, and had previously only been seen in fish until a transcriptome of the Chinese fire belly newt revealed that it is also present in some tetrapods.