News Animals

Salamander ancestors could regenerate limbs

Ancient amphibian fossils show sign of appendage replacement mechanism

axolotl salamander

GROWTH STRATEGY  Salamanders like this axolotl are among the few four-legged animals that can regenerate body parts.

aureapterus/iStockphoto

By Chris Samoray

- More than 2 years ago

Losing a limb or a tail isn’t too worrisome for salamanders. They can regenerate lost appendages. And so could a number of their ancient relatives, a new study finds.

Amphibian fossils from 290 million years ago show signs of the animals regrowing limbs, researchers report online October 26 in Nature.