VARIANTS
Variants are categorized based on their environment and general appearance, but there are no strict rules, as all Spanded Salamanders have been determined, unbelievably, to be a single species. These general categories have been drawn up by researchers primarily involved in studying the qualities of the Salamanders' magic.
Fire Salamanders
Fire Salamanders dwell in active volcanos and the magmatic rivers of the Molten Scar. On very few occasions, they've been spotted skittering across the red-hot coals of particularly large furnaces. These Salamanders are able to swim through lava as though it were water. Their skin usually glows an incandescent orange from sheer heat, making them difficult to spot against lava. You should never touch a Spanded Salamander with your bare hands, but you should especially never attempt to touch these ones. They are presumed to be poisonous, like other Salamanders, though it's difficult to imagine how one would confirm that assumption...
Primary range: Anything bright orange and red
Cragtail Salamanders
Similar to Fire Salamanders, Cragtail Salamanders reside in the Ashfall Waste and are tolerant of high heat. Unlike Fire Salamanders, however, Cragtails do not live in lava, but rather make their homes in the craggy volcanic rock that makes up the vast majority of the Waste. Their claws are tougher than most Salamanders', enabling them to climb and dig through said volcanic rock.
Primary range: Darker, less saturated reds or oranges, mixed with browns
Dusty Salamanders
Dusty Salamanders live in mountainous regions and arid plains, making their den under rocky outcroppings. Alongside Cragtails, Dusty Salamanders are best able to tolerate dryness. Their skin appears duller and less moist than the typical Salamander's hide, usually covered in a powdering of dust and dirt, hence their moniker. They are also much less brightly coloured than their kin, but their skin is still poisonous.
Primary range: Beiges, light desaturated browns or sometimes greys
Marsh Salamanders
One of the most common types of Spanded Salamanders, Marsh Salamanders inhabit wetlands such as marshes, swamps, and occasionally fens. They spend a significant amount of time partially submerged in water. Though their colours aren't particularly bright, this biome may be where Salamanders originated from, and it appears the other creatures in these ecosystems have long since become familiar with Salamanders' inedible nature.
Primary range: Dark or swampy greens and browns
Meadow Salamanders
These Salamanders are found in grassy plains and meadows where the tall grasses provide ample cover and nesting material for their flat bodies. Their colouring allows them to blend in with the surrounding vegetation. Salamanders have no real predators in general, but the lack of danger in Meadow Salamanders' environment means that these Salamanders tend to be the most sedate and least wary of all, living at a very slow and unhurried pace. Of all the documented types of Salamanders, these are the only ones who consume flowers as part of their diet.
Primary range: Light greens or yellows mixed with other, paler colours
Zappy Salamanders
Zappy Salamanders make their homes in the Thunderhead Savanna and other more secluded areas of the Shifting Expanse. These Salamanders are electrically charged, but they have no apparent capacity to actively manipulate lightning energy. The black bands on their bodies seem to absorb and disperse electricity. There are tales of Zappy Salamanders being struck by lightning or a frayed high-voltage wire and being none the worse for wear. Their neon colouring allows them to stand out against the grey dunes and industrial tangle of the Expanse.
Primary range: Bright yellows, sometimes other highlighter shades
Aquarian Salamanders
While many types of Salamanders listed here have adapted to no longer need to reside near water, Aquarian Salamanders have evolved in the opposite direction instead, becoming almost entirely aquatic. These Salamanders inhabit an array of different bodies of water, seemingly able to tolerate both saltwater and freshwater and an impressive range of temperatures, though Aquarians are most commonly found in saltwater. The shape of their body is slightly different from other Salamanders, being more hydrodynamic. Despite this, they are fully capable of coming on land.
Primary range: Blues and greens
Dreamwisp Salamanders
Found only in the Starwood Strand, these elusive Salamanders get their names from the fact that they seem to slip away like they were never there whenever spotted by researchers. In addition, they appeared in deep areas of the Strand where the ambient magical atmosphere seems to have induced a strange, dream-like state in the researchers in question. These Salamanders are mysterious, and not much is known about them or how they have adapted to the environment of the Starfall Isles, considering Salamanders' known ability to both absorb and negate magic. More research is needed.
Primary range: Soft pinks and purples
Luminescent Salamanders
Luminescent Salamanders are easily spotted--if you're in the right place. These Salamanders have adapted to living in pitch-black cave systems and certain areas of the Tangled Wood where no sunlight reaches. Similar to the glowing fungi ubiquitous in the region, Luminescent Salamanders shine with a deep glow, making them easy to see even in the depths of the Wood. It is unknown whether this bioluminescence was evolved as a result of their diet or as a way to continue to warn off predators.
Primary range: Glowy purples, blues, greens, and dark pinks
Deeploam Salamanders
These rarely seen Salamanders reside deep in the earth in caves where the soil contains sufficient moisture to not dry out their skin, which curiously does not seem to have adapted to dryness. This is possibly because these Salamanders can easily refresh themselves in the underground water reservoirs or lakes that these caves contain. Like Cragtails, their claws are extremely suited for digging.
Primary range: Deep browns
Icevenom Salamanders
Icevenom Salamanders have adapted to the cold and harsh conditions of the Southern Icefield. Their blood contains proteins that make them resistant to freezing, allowing their skin to somehow stay moist even in glacial temperatures. These proteins also make their blood highly toxic and acidic. Simultaneously, when their blood is shed, the highly concentrated Ice energy the Salamander previously absorbed is released at once, causing dangerous and rapid freezing. Ask us how we know.
Primary range: Light blues, greens, and greys
Brightblood Salamanders
All Salamanders are poisonous, but none more so than the Brightbloods, whose bright colouring serves to warn away would-be predators and challengers. The poison in Brightbloods' slimy skin is so potent that simply rubbing against it can cause corrosion. This type of Salamander can be found in various locales, including jungles, forests, coastal shores, and wetlands. They seem to prefer areas with higher humidity, but can tolerate a wide range of conditions.
Primary range: Any that produces a bright combination of colours with Sailfish
Thintail Salamanders
These Salamanders are those that have adapted to environments unusually thin in magic. They are one of the few species capable of surviving in magic deserts. Their bulbous tails are thinner than those of a typical Spanded Salamander, and their black spots and bands have a lowered capacity to absorb magic. They tend to have duller colourations than their cousins while still displaying a mix of colours. Some of these dwell closer to urban settlements, earning them the moniker of "Urban Salamanders," but this is not wholly representative. Their hodgepodge colours and lack of clear distinguishing characteristics make them difficult to classify, and some less rigorous scientists tend to treat the Thintail label as a "miscellaneous" category.
There is still much to be learned about Salamanders. Let Salamander research continue!