*Just a bit of natural history: Salmanders and newts are amphibians. Though they superficially resemble lizards, with their front and back pairs of legs being approximately equal in length and having long tails, they lack scaly skin, claws, and external ear openings.
Red-spotted Newts are a subspecies of the Eastern Newt, Notophthalmus viridescens. Newts differ from salamanders in that they have a rough-textured skin, not a slimy one. Red-spotted newts, N. v. viridescens, are 2.5" to 5.5" long. They have a wide distribution, and can be found in virtually the entire eastern half of North America. Despite being widespread, they are not around every bend. You have to look a bit to find them.
The first ones I saw were courtesy of Nina, who spent the week teaching me to look down while I encouraged her to look up. Together, we make a good team. She discovered a pair of adult Red-spotted Newts in the creek behind our Farmhouse, doing the deed.
I have shown this photo before, but I tweaked it a little to enhance the colors, and besides, it is too sexy, so it is worth repeating. As breeding season nears, male newts develop the swollen vents visible in the above photograph. Fertilization is not internal, however. Instead, the male releases gelatinous spermatophores, little pyramids of DNA, which the female retrieves. The eggs are fertilzed as they pass through the cloacal opening and are deposited in water.
After the eggs hatch, they spend some time in a larval form, complete with external gills. The next stage of development is called transformation, when they become Red Efts. The efts live a terrestrial life for 1-3 years before returning to the water and assuming adult characteristics.
The first eft I saw was this guy, on the sidewalk at the picnic area at Hawks Nest State Park, on Rt. 60.
Nina didn't have her camera, having decided to leave it on the bus to keep it dry, and I was only able to grab two quick shots. This is the only one which was worth keeping. I really wish I could have gotten something in the picture for scale.
Eft #2 was found on our Muddlety trip. We were standing in the road, listening and looking for birds, when I happened to glance down. This little guy was inches away from a great big hiking boot worn by a great big guy. I yelled a warning just in time for us all to enjoy this little beauty. Another time I wished for a ruler - this mite was much, much smaller than the Hawks Nest eft I saw a couple of days before.
click to biggifyFace it: If you are soft and tasty and spend 2 or 3 years walking around a forest floor without the benefit of teeth, claws, or scales, you need some kind of defense, and in the case of Red Efts, poison is the answer. They are toxic, and their bright red color is probably a warning to potential predators. "Don't eat me, or you'll be sorry!"
This is Red Eft #3, also seen along the Muddlety road. In this case, the eft in question was larger and browner than the other two. In my Junior Naturalist way, I hypothesized that this one was older, and on his/her way to becoming an adult newt, returning to the water and completing the cycle of life.
I hope you enjoyed this post, and that you are encouraged to keep looking down for salamaders, newts, and efts. For more on amphibians, please visit Nature Remains and follow Nina's vernal pool study.
*Information about newts/efts from the National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Reptiles and Amphibians.
10 comments:
Kathi, you are such a good educator! Nice post!
For the amphibially challenged among us, what's the diff between a newt and an eft?
Great post..I always like learning new things..thanks!
Well done Kathi! I learned quite a bit about these litle critters.
So for all that effort, they don't actually have SEX? What a rip-off!
*Susan, who is glad she's isn't a newt.
Kathi--you did a great job of explaining all these little guys, who although, as you say, should be nearly everywhere, I haven't seen in 20 years or so.
Except in the wet and wild of WV.
I wonder if part of their being misunderstood and underappreciated will change with wonderful pictures and encounters like yours!
It's hard not to fall in love with these little beings, given a chance at a closer look!
Nina--who is concentrating on looking up and went birding this weekend!!
Lisa: Sorry, guess I didn't make it clear. The eft is the terrestrial form, the newt is the adult form of the same critter, N. v. viridecens. Efts are just teen-aged newts.
Nina: Way to go! The only birding I did this weekend was in my backyard - I have martin eggs, tree swallow eggs, and the bluebirds have started on nest #2 already. Barn Swallows were checking out my barn rafters - I hope they stay. Saw a female Song Sparrow with nest material - she has molted all her tail feathers and looks goofy! Birding by ear bagged me Field Sparrow and Eastern Phoebe, both on territory.
Susan: Yeah, no actual sex. (I feel like a newt!)
Everybody else - thanks!
Terrific post. Thanks for the detailed lesson on newts and their life cycle. It was a real treat to see so many of these red efts on the field trips.
Wil
Please email me........my daughters found a Red Eft in my woods, brought it inside and are insisting on keeping it. What do I do food- and care-wise? He's currently in a terrarium with dirt 1/2 an inch thick at the bottom and a cap of water. There's various sticks, stones, and grass for him to "play" with. What do I feed him? We tried an ant but he's not interested. Bloodworms? Mealworms? How would I feed him? Put it in his terrarium or hand-feed him with tweezers or something? Thanks--
equiniphile0sac@aol.com
please email me
Sage:
NO, NO, NO!!! I e-mailed you per your request, but I am posting my reply in full here in case anybody else gets the same idea to try to make a pet of a salamander:
"You're not going to like my answer.
Put it back where you found it.
It is practically impossible to simulate a natural environment in your home. Only very experienced herpetologists or well-trained wildlife rehabilitators should keep these creatures in captivity, and then only with the appropriate state and/or federal permits.
Not only can you not mimic its diet, which means it will die from malnutrition, but you also cannot provide the proper light, temperature, humidity, etc, of its natural environment, nor others of its species. Red efts live up to three years IN THE WILD before they transform into adults and return to the water. What if the one you have is looking for a pool to move into?
Remember, salamanders and other amphibians absorb things through their skin. Many household chemicals are toxic to these very sensitive species. Just touching it can transmit bacteria, viruses, etc., that may be fatal.
DON'T take salamanders, box turtles, "orphaned" fawns and rabbits, or other wildlife home and try to make them into pets. Basically, all you are doing is killing it."
Post a Comment