Salamanders are found in damp regions of the northern temperate zone and are most abundant in North America. Most are under 6 in. Most salamanders are terrestrial as adults, living near water or in wet vegetation, but some are aquatic and a few are arboreal, burrowing, or cave-dwelling. Most are nocturnal, and all avoid direct light.
Salamanders are able to regenerate a lost limb or tail.
They feed on small animals, such as insects, worms, and snails. Most salamanders breed in water and are gregarious at breeding time, when there is usually a courtship display. In most species fertilization is internal. The eggs, surrounded by gelatinous material, are usually laid in ponds or brooks, where they develop into aquatic larvae that can breathe by means of gills. Most salamanders, including most that remain in an aquatic environment, go through a typical amphibian metamorphosis into air-breathing adults.