Andrias

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. davidianus 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 fossils collected in Europe and North America, indicating that the genus formerly had a much wider range. One of these, the German A. scheuchzeri, is sometimes considered synonymous with A. davidianus. There may actually be more than two extant species in the genus, as based on phylogenetic evidence, A. davidianus may be a species complex of at least 5 different species.