What is the largest amphibian?

The largest amphibian is the South China giant salamander. This species, Andrias sligoi, is a giant aquatic salamander from southern China and may reach about 1.8 meters in length.

For many years, all Chinese giant salamanders were treated as one species, Andrias davidianus. Under that older classification, the Chinese giant salamander was widely described as the world’s largest amphibian.

Genetic and morphological research later showed that several distinct giant-salamander lineages exist in China. The South China giant salamander is now recognized as a separate species and is generally regarded as larger than the Chinese giant salamander.

The species is extremely endangered and may already be nearly extinct in the wild. This taxonomic update means the commonly stored answer is understandable historically, but it is no longer the most precise current answer.