The alpine salamander (Salamandra atra) is the closest relative of the black-and-yellow, common newt. It is similar in body shape to it as well, but it is completely black. Its gleaming black body is also somewhat smaller and noticeably slimmer. The ribs form pronounced transverse folds that are clearly visible on the surface of the body. Together with the tail it grows to 9–14 cm, only exceptionally a little more. This species of newt also has, unlike the efts, a tail that is round in cross-section. At the nape behind the eyes is a pair of conspicuous parotoid glands. Just like its larger relative, the alpine salamander has along the midline of the back two, along each side one row of venomous glands that extend from the head to the beginning of the tail.
Planinski močerad živI od 600 m pa vse do 2200 m nad morjem. V Sloveniji je najpogostejši v alpskem svetu, živi pa tudi na Notranjskem, kjer je najpogostejši v okolici Snežnika. Naseljuje hladnejša območja z dovolj visoko zračno vlažnostjo.
In the mountainous world, its habitat is moist mixed forests, and above the forest boundary open areas, for example mountain meadows and pastures. In dry, warm or windy days it hides under fallen trees and dead branches, under rotten wood or stones, and it ventures out at dusk when the air humidity is highest. In search of food or a partner it also leaves its hide during the day, but only on rainy days or right after rain. The alpine salamander is a sociable animal, and it is not uncommon for several individuals to crowd into the same hiding place.
Pleni in žre polže in deževnike ter ostale nevretenčarje, ki jih ulovi. Ena od njegovih prilagoditev na življenje v hladnejših območjih je njegova obarvanost, saj si črno telo na soncu hitro segreje in se tako pripravi na svoje pohode.
Edinstvena prilagoditev na življenje visoko nad morjem pa je živorodnost te vrste. Samica planinskega močerada namreč koti žive mladiče! Po parjenju, ki poteka na kopnem navadno maja in junija, samica ne izleže jajčec, ampak jih nosi v svojem telesu. Iz jajc se izležejo ličinke, ki se v materinem telesu razvijajo 2, 3 ali celo 4 leta. Na začetku samica nosi okoli 60 oplojenih jajčec, od teh pa na koncu navadno ostaneta le dva popolnoma preobražena mladiča. Ta sta ostali zarod med svojim razvojem požrla in sta zdaj pripravljena na življenje na kopnem…
Kot ostale dvoživke, je tudi planinski močerad v Sloveniji zavarovan z Uredbo o prosto živečih živalskih vrstah! Na Rdeči seznam pa je uvrščen v kategorijo O1, kar pomeni, da trenutno ni več ogrožen, vendar obstaja možnost njegove ponovne ogroženosti.
