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Top Reality | Giant Salamander: The largest species of salamander | The Chinese giant salamander is the largest species of salamander in the world and is one of only two species in the genus Andrias. The only other species is the Japanese giant salamander, which is the second largest in the world, nearly as big as the Chinese giant salamander. It can grow up to six feet long, although most of these salamanders found in the wild today are smaller than six feet. It has a dark wrinkly skin, that is usually brown, black or greenish in color and it is irregularly blotched. The skin is smooth, and porosed which allows it to respire underwater because it has no gills. It has very small eyes and no eyelids and a large, flat head. It has extremely poor eyesight and relies on sensory nodes on its head and body that allow it to detect any changes in water pressure and any movement in the water enabling this extremely large salamander to capture its prey. It has an elongated body, a rounded snout and two sets of legs that are very similar in size. It has tubercles on the head and throat. The tubercles are arranged in rows parallel to the lower jaw. In captivity, this salamander has lived for 52 years.