Recent progress in the germplasm resources conservation and utilization of the Chinese giant salamander (Andrias davidianus)

The Chinese giant salamander (Andrias davidianus) is the largest extant amphibian species in the world, with significant scientific, ecological and economi values. According to the Chinese law, wild populations of A. davidianus are treated as the class Ⅱ state protected species, while the second and subsequent generations of captive-bred A. davidianus can be utilized as aquatic products or resources for the food and pharmaceutical industry. As one of the endemic and rare animals in China that possess both conservation and utilization values, the process about germplasm resources of A. davidianus has raised considerable concern. Although with multiple conservative status, the current situation of wild A. davidianus is still unoptimistic. The present practices and effects on the conservation of A. davidianus through in-situ conservation in terms of nature reserves and ex-situ conservation by artificial enhancement and translocation are yet to be evaluated. In contrast, with the increasing development of artificial culture and expanding of the husbandry scales, the captive-bred A. davidianus has become one of the new aquaculture species with good market prospects. However, the disease control is still one of the bottleneck problems during the process of captive breeding. A. davidianus is one of the high-valued aquaculture species with high protein and low fat, and additionally, its bioactive substances and efficacies are being revealed gradually. However, by restrictions of the market, industry, and the input of scientific research, the scale of captive A. davidianus is still very limited, thus the scope and depth of its utilization need to be greatly strengthened. Based on the studies from previous papers and the practices from our team, in this study we reviewed the conservation and utilization of the germplasm resources of A. davidianus, from the aspects of basic biology, habitat characteristics, genetic diversity, conservation, captive breeding, disease, nutrition, bioactive substances, industrial utilization, etc. By summarizing the successful experiences and identifying the problems, this paper aims to provide a valuable reference for studying the genetic germplasm resources, planning the conservation strategies, developing and sustainable utilization, as well as enhancing the public awareness of this precious species in the future.