A man holds a giant Chinese salamander in this undated handout. A giant Chinese salamander that predates Tyrannosaurus rex and the world's smallest frog are among a group of extremely rare amphibians identified by scientists as being in need of urgent help to survive. This salamander can grow to up to 1.8 meters in length and has evolved independently from all other amphibians on the planet.

(Xinhua News Agency January 24, 2008)