The earliest prehistoric salamanders date back 165 million years. Fossilised remains of thousands of individuals have been discovered in volcanic ash beds in China and Mongolia. As well as their skeletons, impressions of soft tissue of Chunerpeton tianyiensis, and stomach contents have been preserved. Previously, the earliest known salamanders dated back around 65 million years. These animals are related to salamanders which currently inhabit North America and Asia. The discoveries are part of an ongoing programme of research by the University of Chicago, US, and Peking University, Beijing, China. Their work was published in the journal Nature on 27 March 2003.
