Andrias Temporal range: Chattian–recent PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Andrias japonicus
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Amphibia
Order:	Urodela
Family:	Cryptobranchidae
Genus:	Andrias Tschudi, 1837
Type species
Andrias japonicus Temminck, 1836
Species
7 (including 2 extinct), see text
Synonyms
Megalobatrachus

Andrias is a genus of giant salamanders. It includes the largest salamanders in the world, with A. japonicus reaching a length of 1.44 metres (4 ft 9 in), and A. sligoi reaching 1.80 metres (5 ft 11 in). While extant species are only known from East Asia, several extinct species in the genus are known from late Oligocene and Neogene aged fossils collected in Europe and North America, indicating that the genus formerly had a much wider range.^[1]

Taxonomy

The generic name derives from Ancient Greek ἀνδριάς, "statue". The former name was Megalobatrachus, from Ancient Greek meaning "giant frog".

Phylogeny

This phylogeny is based on Chai et al (2022).^[2] and Vasilyan et al (2013)^[3]

Alternative phylogeny by Fang et al (2018).^[4]

Species

Extant species

Image	Scientific name	Common name	Distribution
	Andrias cheni	Qimen giant salamander	Eastern China (Huangshan Mountains in Anhui Province)
	Andrias davidianus	Chinese giant salamander	China (traditionally considered widespread in the country, but likely restricted to Yangtze River basin)
	Andrias japonicus	Japanese giant salamander	Japan
	Andrias jiangxiensis	Jiangxi giant salamander	Eastern China (Jiangxi Province)
	Andrias sligoi	South China giant salamander	Southern China (Pearl River basin)

Based on genetic evidence, there may be more extant species in the genus. A study in 2018 found that A. davidianus sensu lato was a species complex that consisted of at least 5 different species.^[5] A. sligoi, which was formerly synonymized with A. davidianus, was revived in 2019 for one of these populations. another one of these was described as A. jiangxiensis in 2022, and another as A. cheni in 2023.^[6][7][8]

Fossil species

Image	Scientific name	Common name	Distribution	Age
	†Andrias matthewi	Matthew's giant salamander	United States and Canada	early-middle Miocene
	†Andrias scheuchzeri		Central Europe, possibly Central Asia and Western Siberia	late Oligocene-late Pliocene