Guanyang Giant Salamander

Guanyang Giant Salamander

Guanyang Giant Salamander is a geographical indication agricultural product.

　　Guanyang Giant Salamander is a specialty of Guanyang Yao Autonomous County, Guilin, Guangxi.

　　Guanyang Giant Salamander is a specialty of Guanyang Yao Autonomous County, Guilin, Guangxi. The region’s favorable natural climate, unique topography and vegetation, abundant mineral and aquatic biological resources, and distinctive water conditions not only provide an ideal habitat and breeding environment for the Guanyang Giant Salamander, but also contribute to its unique regional characteristics and flavor. This makes it highly valuable for scientific research, conservation, and aquaculture development. Compared with adult Giant Salamanders from other regions in and outside Guangxi, the Guanyang Giant Salamander exhibits distinct geographical traits, mainly in the following aspects: (1) Due to varying habitats, the back patterns of the Guanyang Giant Salamander show differences in size and color, including black, dark red, reddish-brown, or irregular intermingled patches of black and reddish-brown. The reddish-black (brown) patches on its back are darker and more contrasting. (2) Its most notable feature is the clearly visible and more numerous symmetrical wart-like bumps on the head and back compared to those of Giant Salamanders from other areas. Locally, the Giant Salamander is commonly referred to as the Guanyang Giant Salamander, while in some mountainous areas, it is also called “dog fish.” Both the 1936 (Republic of China era) and 1992 editions of the *Guanyang County Annals* document this species. Among Guanyang’s famous and special fish, it is noted that “the special dog fish is produced in mountain streams, resembles a fresh-water fish with four limbs, has small eyes close to its mouth, can live both in water and on land, ranges from four to five jin when small to over ten jin when large, and tastes extremely delicious.”

　　Region:

　　Guangxi

　　Applicant:

　　Guanyang Yao Autonomous County Fisheries and Fishery Administration Station

　　Region:

　　2014

　　Geographic Scope

　　The protected geographic indication area for Guanyang Giant Salamander includes the towns of Ping’an, Lianhua, Sanjiang, Jiahui, Xiling, Limu, and Guanyin, covering a total area of 2,139.31 km². The geographical coordinates are between 110°36′41″ to 111°10′12″ east longitude and 24°36′50″ to 25°17′15″ north latitude. The eastern, western, and northern parts of the county are surrounded by overlapping mountain ranges. The eastern part consists of the Huashan Mountain Range, the southern section of the Dupang Mountains, stretching approximately 70 km in a roughly north-south direction. The western part includes the southern section of the Haiyang Mountain Range, extending about 30 km. The aquaculture area spans 60 hectares, with a combined wild and cultured population of over 40,000 individuals and an annual yield of 8 tons.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　(1) External Sensory Characteristics: The favorable natural climate, unique topography and vegetation, abundant mineral and aquatic biological resources, and distinctive water conditions in Guanyang County not only provide an ideal habitat and breeding environment for the Guanyang Giant Salamander, but also contribute to its unique regional characteristics and flavor, making it highly valuable for scientific research, conservation, and aquaculture development. Compared with adult Giant Salamanders from other regions in and outside Guangxi, the Guanyang Giant Salamander exhibits distinct geographical traits, primarily in the following aspects: ① Due to different habitats, the back patterns of the Guanyang Giant Salamander show variations in size and color, including black, dark red, reddish-brown, or irregular intermingled patches of black and reddish-brown. The reddish-black (brown) patches on its back are darker and more contrasting. ② Its most prominent feature is the clearly visible and more numerous symmetrical wart-like bumps on the head and back compared to those of Giant Salamanders from other regions. (2) Internal Quality Indicators: Owing to its unique geographical environment and farming methods, the meat of the Guanyang Giant Salamander is delicious, tender, fragrant, uniquely flavorful, and highly nutritious. It is rich in collagen, hydroxyproline, vitamin E, and zinc. Testing shows that every 100g of fresh meat contains 16.8g–19.4g of protein, 63mg–74mg of hydroxyproline, 0.14mg–0.27mg of vitamin E, 46.6mg–71.8mg of cholesterol, and 1kg of fresh meat contains 12.6mg–19.7mg of zinc. (3) Safety Requirements: The production process strictly complies with the *Fishery Water Quality Standards* (GB11607), *Pollution-Free Aquaculture Water Quality for Freshwater* (NY5051—2001), and *Pollution-Free Aquatic Products – Maximum Residue Limits for Veterinary Drugs* (NY5070-2002).