Embryonic development and organogenesis of Chinese giant salamander, Andrias davidianus

The morphology and organogenesis of Chinese giant salamander, Andrias davidianus, in its different developmental periods and stages are described in detail, which provides an intact criterion for distinguishing different stages of its developmental process. Based on the external morphological and internal histological features, six periods including 20 stages of organogenesis of Chinese giant salamander are established, which are cleavage period, blastula period, gastrula period, neurula period, organogenesis stage and hatching stage. Generally, the embryonic development of Chinese giant salamander is consistent with those of Eastern newt, Cynops orientalis, and Black spots frog, R. nigromaculata. However, they have some differences in the early cleavage process and the development of digestive system. The cleavage of Chinese giant salamander, A. davidianus is not a discoidal division type, which is different from other species reported. And the first three cleavages being meridional and a retardant development of its digestive system without halter and sucker existing are the evident features of the embryonic development of Chinese giant salamander.