(Notophthalmus viridescens)
Conservation • Description • Habitat • Biology • Distribution • Taxonomy
Conservation Status |
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IUCN Red List | LC - Least Concern |
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NatureServe | N5 - Secure S4 - Apparently Secure |
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Minnesota | not listed Species in Greatest Conservation Need |
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Description |
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Eastern newt is a common North American newt. It occurs in the United States and southern Canada east of the Great Plains. There are four subspecies of eastern newt. Only the western subspecies, central newt, occurs in Minnesota. Its range extends from Minnesota and southwestern Ontario, east to Michigan, south to eastern Texas and Louisiana, and across the south from Alabama east to South Carolina and northern Florida. It is found in or near moist deciduous and coniferous forests; in or near lakes, ponds, swamps, and stream pools with dense submerged vegetation; and in ditches. Adults are 2½″ to 4⅞″ (6.4 to 12.5 cm) in length. Females are slightly smaller and stockier than males. The tail is flattened vertically, fin-like. Aquatic adults are light olive green above, terrestrial adults are dark olive-brown above. Both forms are light yellow below, with a clear separation between the sharply contrasting colors. The upper and lower surfaces are dotted with small black spots. On the upper part of each side (dorsilateral area) there are sometimes two rows of small, round, red to orange spots that are partially ringed with black. The skin is slightly grainy on terrestrial adults, smooth and mucous covered on aquatic adults. Vertical depressions (costal grooves) on each side between the forelimbs and the ventral area, prominent on salamanders, are indistinct or absent. In breeding season, the male has enlarged hind legs and a broadly ridged (keeled) tail. Juveniles (red efts) are dull, orangish-red to reddish-brown, and 1⅜″ to 3¼″ (3.5 to 8.6 mm) in length. The skin is dry and granular. __________________ The description above refers to the subspecies central newt (Notophthalmus viridescens louisianensis), the only subspecies that occurs in Minnesota. |
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Size |
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Terrestrial juveniles: 1⅜″ to 3¼″ (3.5 to 8.6 mm) Adults: 2½″ to 4⅞″ (6.4 to 12.5 cm) |
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Similar Species |
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Habitat |
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Moist deciduous and coniferous forests; lakes, ponds, swamps, stream pools, ditches |
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Biology |
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Behavior |
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Both adults and efts secrete a toxic substance through the skin to repel predators. When threatened, the eft will raise its tail as a warning to predators. |
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Lifespan |
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8 to 10 years in the wild |
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Life Cycle |
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Tadpoles sometimes metamorphose into terrestrial efts, though they often metamorphose directly into terrestrial adults with lungs, and sometimes they retain gills. After three to seven years on land, red efts return to aquatic environments, transform into aquatic adults, and reproduce. After breeding season, aquatic adults may remain aquatic or transform again into terrestrial adults. Terrestrial adults and efts overwinter under leaves, logs, and rocks. Aquatic adults in deeper lakes may remain active under the ice in winter. __________________ The description above refers to the subspecies central newt (Notophthalmus viridescens louisianensis), the only subspecies that occurs in Minnesota. |
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Larva Food |
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Small aquatic insects and other small aquatic invertebrates |
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Adult Food |
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Crustaceans, worms, snails, mollusks, amphibian eggs, mosquito larvae, insects, and other small invertebrates |
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Distribution |
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Sources |
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1/24/2023 | ||||
Occurrence |
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Common |
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Taxonomy |
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Class | Amphibia (amphibians) | ||
Superorder | Batrachia (amphibians) | ||
Order | Caudata (salamanders) | ||
Suborder | Salamandroidea (mole salamanders) | ||
Family |
Salamandridae (newts) | ||
Subfamily |
Pleurodelinae | ||
Genus |
Notophthalmus (eastern North American newts) | ||
Subgenus | Notophthalmus | ||
There is disagreement about the use of the names Caudata and Urodela for the order of salamanders. Some authors use Caudata for the crown group and Urodela for the total group. Currently (2023), most authors use Urodela for the crown group and Caudata for the total group. |
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Subordinate Taxa |
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broken-striped newt (Notophthalmus viridescens dorsalis) central newt (Notophthalmus viridescens louisianensis) peninsula newt (Notophthalmus viridescens piaropicola) red-spotted newt (Notophthalmus viridescens viridescens) |
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There is disagreement about the recognition of subspecies. A study in 2004 rejected all subspecies due to the high level of disagreement about the defining characteristics. A molecular DNA study published in 2013 showed that two of the subspecies could not be decisively separated by molecular data. |
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Synonyms |
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Diemictylus viridescens Notophthalmus miniatus Salamandra americana Salamandra dorsalis Triton dorsalis Triton symetricus Tristella symmetrica Triturus miniatus Triturus viridescens |
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Common Names |
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eastern newt |
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Visitor Photos |
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Share your photo of this amphibian. |
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This button not working for you? Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com. Attach one or more photos and, if you like, a caption. |
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Jeff LeClere |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos |
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Visitor Videos |
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Share your video of this amphibian. |
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This button not working for you? Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com. Attach a video, a YouTube link, or a cloud storage link. |
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Other Videos |
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MyNature Apps; Identifying a Red Eft, Notophthalmus viridescens MyNatureApps |
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About
May 7, 2011 Identifying a Red Eft, Eastern Newt or Red-spotted Newt Notophthalmus viridescens. www.mynatureapps.com |
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Notophthalmus v. viridescens Paul Newts |
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About
Nov 9, 2019 |
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I discovered all three stages of the Red-spotted Newt, ON THE SAME DAY! Nature at Your Door Frank Taylor |
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About
Sep 18, 2020 The life history of the Red Spotted Newt (Eastern Newt) (Notophthalmus Viridescens) is explained. I was able to find all three live stages 1. aquatic larval newt 2. the terrestrial eft stage and 3. the aquatic adult stage. This is one of the most unique life histories of any salamander with multiple metamorphosis and physical and behavioral changes. Each stage is illustrated and natural history and biology described. |
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Created: 1/24/2023
Last Updated: