Which amphibian group is characterized by a tail after metamorphosis?

The amphibian group characterized by having a tail after metamorphosis is salamanders. Salamanders belong to the order Urodela, also called Caudata, and adults generally retain the long tail that was present during their aquatic larval stage.

This feature helps distinguish salamanders from frogs and toads. Frog and toad tadpoles typically lose their tails as they develop limbs and become adults, whereas a salamander’s tail usually remains and may help with swimming, balance, climbing, courtship, or defense. Some salamanders can even detach and later regenerate their tails when attacked by a predator.

Salamander development is diverse, so the wording describes a broad characteristic rather than an absolute rule for every species. Many species hatch as aquatic larvae with external gills and later undergo metamorphosis, losing their gills and developing adult respiratory structures. Others are fully aquatic, while some hatch as miniature land-dwelling salamanders without a free-swimming larval stage.

The group includes familiar salamanders, newts, sirens, olm, and giant salamanders. They range from tiny woodland species to the Chinese giant salamander, which can reach roughly 1.8 metres in length. The name Caudata itself comes from Latin cauda, meaning “tail.”