Which viviparous salamander gives birth to fully developed young?

The viviparous salamander that gives birth to fully developed young is the alpine salamander. Its scientific name is Salamandra atra, and it is adapted to the mountainous regions of the European Alps.

Unlike most salamanders, alpine salamanders reproduce entirely on land. The female retains the developing embryos inside her uterus rather than depositing eggs or aquatic larvae in a pond. Usually only one embryo develops in each uterus, nourished first by yolk from other eggs and later by cells from the uterine lining.

Gestation is exceptionally long for an amphibian. At lower elevations it commonly lasts about two years, while at higher elevations it may last around three years. The young are born as miniature, fully formed salamanders and do not need a free-living aquatic larval stage.

This reproductive strategy helps alpine salamanders survive in cold, high-elevation habitats where suitable breeding pools may be scarce or temporary. The fire salamander is a common source of confusion: some subspecies are viviparous, but the alpine salamander is the classic answer for a salamander that gives birth to fully developed young.