Do Salamanders Have Lungs? Lunged vs Lungless Species
Some salamanders have lungs and some do not. Many species hatch with external gills and later develop lungs. However, the lungless family Plethodontidae makes up more than two-thirds of all salamander species, according to Harvard researchers. Those salamanders breathe through their skin and the lining of their mouth and throat. Many species also take in oxygen through moist skin.
The old answer was simple: adult salamanders breathe with lungs. The real answer is more interesting. Most salamander species have no lungs at all.
This guide explains how salamanders breathe at each life stage, which species have lungs, how lungless salamanders cope and what scientists have learned about why lungs disappeared.
How this was made: prepared with AI assistance and checked against the sources listed at the end. Images are AI-generated illustrations, not photographs of real animals or products.
Key Takeaways
- Most salamander larvae breathe with external gills.
- Many lunged species develop lungs after weeks or months, usually two to six months.
- The family Plethodontidae has no lungs and makes up more than two-thirds of species.
- Lungless salamanders breathe through the skin and the lining of the mouth and throat.
- Moist skin is essential for these species.
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How lunged salamanders breathe
Most salamanders hatch as aquatic larvae with feathery external gills, like tadpoles. Ohio State University Extension says most species later lose their gills and develop lungs. This usually takes two to six months, though it can take from two weeks to three years.
Skin still helps. Ohio State notes that some species breathe through the skin and need a constant layer of moisture to do so. Britannica adds that amphibians rely heavily on cutaneous respiration, meaning gas exchange through the skin.
Salamanders with no lungs at all
The lungless family is Plethodontidae. AmphibiaWeb lists 523 species in 28 genera, and says all of them lack lungs and breathe through the skin. They also use the lining of the mouth, near the back, for gas exchange.
Ohio State names three examples: the redback, ravine and northern slimy salamanders. They are land-living. Their larval stage is completed inside the egg, so they hatch as miniature adults with no gills to lose.
| Group | Lungs? | How they breathe |
|---|---|---|
| Most larvae | No | External gills |
| Typical adults | Yes | Lungs, plus some skin breathing |
| Hellbender | Yes | Mostly skin, with wrinkled folds that add surface area, plus lungs |
| Plethodontids | No | Skin and mouth lining |
Why moist skin matters
Skin breathing works only when the skin is wet. Oxygen has to dissolve in a thin film of moisture before it can pass into the blood. That is why lungless salamanders live in damp woods, under logs or near streams, and why most are active at night or in rain.
The Minnesota DNR notes that adult salamanders mostly move at night or in rain because they need humid conditions. Dry air and hot sun are a risk for them, so wild salamanders are best left alone.
Why did some salamanders lose their lungs?
Scientists are still working on the reasons. A Harvard study in Science Advances found that lungless salamanders begin forming lung-like structures as embryos, much as lunged species do. The structure appears and disappears before the embryos hatch.
The research also suggests lungs were lost at least 25 million years ago, and possibly more than 60 million years ago. It supports an earlier idea that the adult throat fold in these species is not a leftover lung.
Lungs and sound
It can. Some salamanders can push air from the lungs over laryngeal valves. A mid-century review by T. Paul Maslin confirmed vocal cords in the California giant salamander, a lunged species. Our article on why salamanders make noise covers how that works.
For the wider picture of how salamanders fit among amphibians, see why a salamander is an amphibian, or are salamanders fish for the gill question.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do all salamanders have lungs?
No. All members of the family Plethodontidae lack lungs, and that family includes more than two-thirds of all salamander species.
How do salamanders breathe without lungs?
They breathe through their moist skin and the lining of the mouth and throat.
Do baby salamanders have lungs?
Most hatch with external gills and develop lungs later, if their species has them.
Do salamanders breathe through their skin?
Many do, to some extent. Britannica says amphibians rely heavily on skin breathing, and lungless species depend on it entirely.
Do salamanders breathe underwater?
Larvae do, using external gills. Some adult species, such as the hellbender, live in water and absorb oxygen mostly through wrinkled skin folds, according to Britannica.
Bottom Line
So, do salamanders have lungs? Some do, and most species do not. What they all share is a reliance on moist skin and damp habitats.
Next, read about how salamanders reproduce in do salamanders lay eggs, or about the traits they are famous for in what salamanders are known for.
Sources
- Lungless salamanders develop lungs as embryos (Harvard MCZ), accessed Two-thirds of species lungless and the Science Advances study
- Plethodontidae (AmphibiaWeb), accessed 523 species in 28 genera, all lungless
- Salamanders (Ohio State University Extension), accessed Gills, lungs and lungless examples
- Hellbender (Encyclopaedia Britannica), accessed Skin folds and lungs
- Amphibian (Encyclopaedia Britannica), accessed Skin breathing
- Salamanders (Minnesota DNR Young Naturalists), accessed Humidity and night activity
- T. Paul Maslin, review of sound production in salamanders (University of Colorado Studies), accessed Vocal cords in the California giant salamander
- Reptiles and amphibians (CDC), accessed Salmonella and handwashing
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