What is "giant salamander"

Giant \Gi"ant\, a. Like a giant; extraordinary in size, strength, or power; as, giant brothers; a giant son.

Giant cell. (Anat.) See Myeloplax.

Giant clam (Zo["o]l.), a bivalve shell of the genus Tridacna, esp. T. gigas, which sometimes weighs 500 pounds. The shells are sometimes used in churches to contain holy water.

Giant heron (Zo["o]l.), a very large African heron ( Ardeomega goliath). It is the largest heron known.

Giant kettle, a pothole of very large dimensions, as found in Norway in connection with glaciers. See Pothole.

Giant powder. See Nitroglycerin.

Giant puffball (Bot.), a fungus ( Lycoperdon giganteum), edible when young, and when dried used for stanching wounds.

Giant salamander (Zo["o]l.), a very large aquatic salamander ( Megalobatrachus maximus), found in Japan. It is the largest of living Amphibia, becoming a yard long.

Giant squid (Zo["o]l.), one of several species of very large squids, belonging to Architeuthis and allied genera. Some are over forty feet long.

Salamander \Sal"a*man`der\, n. [F. salamandre, L. salamandra, Gr. ?; cf. Per. samander, samandel.]

1. (Zo["o]l.) Any one of numerous species of Urodela, belonging to Salamandra, Amblystoma, Plethodon, and various allied genera, especially those that are more or less terrestrial in their habits.

   Note: The salamanders have, like lizards, an elongated body, four feet, and a long tail, but are destitute of scales. They are true Amphibia, related to the frogs. Formerly, it was a superstition that the salamander could live in fire without harm, and even extinguish it by the natural coldness of its body.

   I have maintained that salamander of yours with fire any time this two and thirty years.
   --Shak.

   Whereas it is commonly said that a salamander extinguisheth fire, we have found by experience that on hot coals, it dieth immediately.
   --Sir T. Browne.

2. (Zo["o]l.) The pouched gopher ( Geomys tuza) of the Southern United States.

3. A culinary utensil of metal with a plate or disk which is heated, and held over pastry, etc., to brown it.

4. A large poker. [Prov. Eng.]
   --Halliwell.

5. (Metal.) Solidified material in a furnace hearth.

   Giant salamander. (Zo["o]l.) See under Giant.

   Salamander's hair or Salamander's wool (Min.), a species of asbestos or mineral flax. [Obs.]
   --Bacon.

n. Any of the large amphibians found in the genus ''(taxlink Cryptobranchidae family noshow=1)'' and related extinct genera.

n. large (up to more than three feet) edible salamander of Asia [syn: Megalobatrachus maximus]

Cryptobranchidae is a family of fully aquatic salamanders commonly known as the giant salamanders. A single species, the hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis) occurs in the eastern United States, while Asian species occur in both China and Japan. They are the largest living amphibians known today. The Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus), reaches up to , feeds on fish and crustaceans, and has been known to live for more than 50 years in captivity. The Chinese giant salamander (Andrias davidianus) can reach a length of .