Until a few centuries ago it was still believed that the black and yellow salamander of Europe could pass through flames unscathed. Salamanders have recently become a favorite of terrarium and aquarium keepers around the world because of the ease with which many can be raised in captivity. Salamanders and newts belong to the order Caudata. They retain a tail even after metamorphosis from the larval stage. In this they differ from other amphibians.
Caecilians have no tail and frogs and toads only have a tail in the larval stage.
There are 440 known species of salamanders and newts. Salamanders and newts are found almost exclusively in the Northern Hemisphere. They are found in Europe, central and northern Asia, northwestern Africa, North America and Mexico. In the Southern Hemisphere there are a few species found in Southeast Asia and Chi na. Many newts and salamanders are nocturnal.