Newt
Encyclopedia
A newt is an aquatic
amphibian of the family
Salamandridae
, although not all aquatic salamanders are considered newts. Newts are classified in the subfamily Pleurodelinae of the family Salamandridae, and are found in North America
, Europe
and Asia
. Newts metamorphose
through three distinct developmental life stages: aquatic larva
, terrestrial juvenile (called an eft), and adult. Adult newts have lizard-like bodies and may be either fully aquatic, living permanently in the water, or semi-aquatic, living terrestrially but returning to the water each year to breed.
Like all members of the order Caudata, newts are characterised by a frog-like body with four equal sized limbs and a distinct tail. Aquatic larvae have true teeth on both upper and lower jaws, and external gills. They have the ability to regenerate
limb
s, eye
s, spinal cord
s, heart
s, intestine
s, and upper and lower jaw
s. Recently it was discovered that the Japanese fire belly newt
can regenerate its eye lens 18 times over a period of 16 years and retain its structural and functional properties. The cell
s at the site of the injury have the ability to de-differentiate
, reproduce rapidly, and differentiate again to create a new limb or organ. One theory is that the de-differentiated cells are related to tumour cells since chemicals which produce tumours in other animals will produce additional limbs in newts.
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The main breeding season for newts is between the months of June and July. After courtship rituals of varying complexity, which take place in ponds or slow moving streams, the male newt transfers a spermatophore
which is taken up by the female. Fertilized eggs
are laid singly and are usually attached to aquatic plants. This distinguishes them from the free-floating eggs of frog
s or toad
s, that are laid in clumps or in strings. Plant leaves are usually folded over and adhered to the eggs to protect them. The tadpole
s, which resemble fish fry but are distinguished by their feathery external gills, hatch out in about three weeks. After hatching they eat algae, small invertebrates or other tadpoles.
During the next few months the tadpoles undergo metamorphosis, during which they develop legs, and the gills are absorbed and replaced by air-breathing lungs. Some species, such as the North America
n newts, also become more brightly coloured during this phase. Once fully metamorphosised they leave the water and live a terrestrial life, when they are known as "efts". Only when the eft reaches adulthood will the North American species return to live in water, rarely venturing back onto the land. Conversely, most European species live their adult lives on land and only visit water to breed.
s in their skin secretions as a defense mechanism against predators. Taricha newts of western North America are particularly toxic. The Rough-skinned newt
Taricha granulosa of the Pacific Northwest produces more than enough tetrodotoxin
to kill an adult human, and some Native American
s of the Pacific Northwest used the toxin to poison their enemies. However, the toxins are only dangerous if ingested, and the newts can easily and safely live in the same ponds or streams as frogs and other amphibians, or be safely kept as pets. The only predators of Taricha newts are garter snakes, some having developed a resistance to the poison.
Most newts can be safely handled, provided that the toxins they produce are not ingested or allowed to come in contact with mucous membrane
s, or breaks in the skin. After handling, proper hand-washing techniques should be followed due to the risk from the toxins they produce and bacteria they carry, such as salmonella
. It is, however, illegal to handle or disturb Great Crested Newt
s in the UK without a licence. Newts and salamanders are also very good environmental indicators because of their thin, sensitive skin. Most species are highly sensitive to subtle changes in the pH level of streams and lakes they live in. Because their skin is permeable to water they absorb oxygen and other substances they need through their skin. Scientists will study the stability of the amphibian population when studying the water quality of a particular body of water.
The term "newt" has traditionally been seen as an exclusively functional term for salamanders living in water, and not a systematic unit
. The relationship between the genera has been uncertain, although it has been suggested that they constitute a natural systematic unit
and newer molecular analyses tend to support this position.
Newts only appear in one subfamily of salamanders, the Pleurodelinae (of the family Salamandridae
),
however, Salamandrina
and Euproctus
, which are sometimes listed as Pleurodelinae, are not newts. Whether these are basal
to the subfamily (and thus the sister group of the newt group) or derived
, making the newts an evolutionary grade
(an "incomplete" systematic unit, where not all branches of the family tree belong to the group) is currently not known.
an genera are the crested newts (Triturus
spp.), the smooth
and palmate newt
s (Lissotriton
spp.) and the banded Newt
s (Ommatotriton
spp.). Other species present in Europe are the Iberian ribbed newt
(Plurodeles waltl), which is the largest of the European newts, the pyrenean brook newt (Calotriton
sp.); the European brook newt (Euproctus
sp.) and the Alpine newt
(Mesotriton alpestris).
In North America
, there are the Eastern newts (Notophthalmus
spp.), of which the red-spotted newt (Notophthalmus viridescens) is the most abundant species, but it is limited to the area east of the Rocky Mountains
. The three species of coastal or Western newts are the red-bellied newt
, the California newt
, and the rough-skinned newt
, all of which belong to the genus Taricha
, which is confined to the area west of the Rockies.
In Southeast Asia
and Japan
, species commonly encountered in the pet
trade include the fire belly newts
(Cynops spp.), the paddletail newts (Pachytriton
spp.), the crocodile newts (Tylototriton
spp.), and the warty newts (Paramesotriton
spp.). In the Middle East
there are the spotted newts (Neurergus
spp.).
and the Habitat Regulations Act 1994. It is illegal to catch, possess or handle Great Crested Newt
s without a licence, and it is also illegal to cause them harm or death, or to disturb their habitat in any way. The IUCN Red List
categorises the species as ‘lower risk’
Although the other UK species, the smooth newt
and palmate newt
are not listed, the sale of either species is prohibited under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981.
In Europe, nine newts are listed as "strictly protected fauna species" under appendix II of the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats
:
The remaining European species are listed as "protected fauna species" under appendix III.
it changed for unknown reasons first to euft and then to ewt. For some time it remained as an ewt, but the "n" from the indefinite article an shifted to form a newt. The sexually mature stage was also called an ewte, with similar etymology roots linking an ewte, newt, "euft", and eft: "small lizard-like animal," .
Aquatic animal
An aquatic animal is an animal, either vertebrate or invertebrate, which lives in water for most or all of its life. It may breathe air or extract its oxygen from that dissolved in water through specialised organs called gills, or directly through its skin. Natural environments and the animals that...
amphibian of the family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Salamandridae
Salamandridae
Salamandridae is a family of salamanders consisting of true salamanders and newts. Currently, 74 species have been identified in the northern hemisphere - Europe, Asia, the northern tip of Africa and North America...
, although not all aquatic salamanders are considered newts. Newts are classified in the subfamily Pleurodelinae of the family Salamandridae, and are found in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. Newts metamorphose
Métamorphose
"Métamorphose" - a song by French singer Amanda Lear released in 1989 by Carrere Records.- Song information :"Métamorphose" was the first single from Amanda's French-Italian album Tant qu'il y aura des hommes. The album was actually a re-release of Uomini più uomini, and consisted mostly of down-...
through three distinct developmental life stages: aquatic larva
Larva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
, terrestrial juvenile (called an eft), and adult. Adult newts have lizard-like bodies and may be either fully aquatic, living permanently in the water, or semi-aquatic, living terrestrially but returning to the water each year to breed.
Characteristics
Regeneration (biology)
In biology, regeneration is the process of renewal, restoration, and growth that makes genomes, cells, organs, organisms, and ecosystems resilient to natural fluctuations or events that cause disturbance or damage. Every species is capable of regeneration, from bacteria to humans. At its most...
limb
Limb (anatomy)
A limb is a jointed, or prehensile , appendage of the human or other animal body....
s, eye
Eye
Eyes are organs that detect light and convert it into electro-chemical impulses in neurons. The simplest photoreceptors in conscious vision connect light to movement...
s, spinal cord
Spinal cord
The spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular bundle of nervous tissue and support cells that extends from the brain . The brain and spinal cord together make up the central nervous system...
s, heart
Heart
The heart is a myogenic muscular organ found in all animals with a circulatory system , that is responsible for pumping blood throughout the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions...
s, intestine
Intestine
In human anatomy, the intestine is the segment of the alimentary canal extending from the pyloric sphincter of the stomach to the anus and, in humans and other mammals, consists of two segments, the small intestine and the large intestine...
s, and upper and lower jaw
Jaw
The jaw is any opposable articulated structure at the entrance of the mouth, typically used for grasping and manipulating food. The term jaws is also broadly applied to the whole of the structures constituting the vault of the mouth and serving to open and close it and is part of the body plan of...
s. Recently it was discovered that the Japanese fire belly newt
Japanese Fire Belly Newt
The Japanese Fire Belly Newt is a common Asian newt. It is commonly confused with the Chinese Fire Belly Newt due to similarities in coloring and size, and most newts sold as Japanese Fire Bellys are likely to be the more commonly collected Chinese Fire Belly instead.-Description:This newt is...
can regenerate its eye lens 18 times over a period of 16 years and retain its structural and functional properties. The cell
Cell (biology)
The cell is the basic structural and functional unit of all known living organisms. It is the smallest unit of life that is classified as a living thing, and is often called the building block of life. The Alberts text discusses how the "cellular building blocks" move to shape developing embryos....
s at the site of the injury have the ability to de-differentiate
Cellular differentiation
In developmental biology, cellular differentiation is the process by which a less specialized cell becomes a more specialized cell type. Differentiation occurs numerous times during the development of a multicellular organism as the organism changes from a simple zygote to a complex system of...
, reproduce rapidly, and differentiate again to create a new limb or organ. One theory is that the de-differentiated cells are related to tumour cells since chemicals which produce tumours in other animals will produce additional limbs in newts.
Development
Spermatophore
A spermatophore or sperm ampulla is a capsule or mass created by males of various animal species, containing spermatozoa and transferred in entirety to the female's ovipore during copulation...
which is taken up by the female. Fertilized eggs
Egg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop. In most birds, reptiles, insects, molluscs, fish, and monotremes, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum, which is expelled from the body and permitted to develop outside the body until the developing...
are laid singly and are usually attached to aquatic plants. This distinguishes them from the free-floating eggs of frog
Frog
Frogs are amphibians in the order Anura , formerly referred to as Salientia . Most frogs are characterized by a short body, webbed digits , protruding eyes and the absence of a tail...
s or toad
Toad
A toad is any of a number of species of amphibians in the order Anura characterized by dry, leathery skin , short legs, and snoat-like parotoid glands...
s, that are laid in clumps or in strings. Plant leaves are usually folded over and adhered to the eggs to protect them. The tadpole
Tadpole
A tadpole or polliwog is the wholly aquatic larval stage in the life cycle of an amphibian, particularly that of a frog or toad.- Appellation :...
s, which resemble fish fry but are distinguished by their feathery external gills, hatch out in about three weeks. After hatching they eat algae, small invertebrates or other tadpoles.
During the next few months the tadpoles undergo metamorphosis, during which they develop legs, and the gills are absorbed and replaced by air-breathing lungs. Some species, such as the North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n newts, also become more brightly coloured during this phase. Once fully metamorphosised they leave the water and live a terrestrial life, when they are known as "efts". Only when the eft reaches adulthood will the North American species return to live in water, rarely venturing back onto the land. Conversely, most European species live their adult lives on land and only visit water to breed.
Toxicity
Many newts produce toxinToxin
A toxin is a poisonous substance produced within living cells or organisms; man-made substances created by artificial processes are thus excluded...
s in their skin secretions as a defense mechanism against predators. Taricha newts of western North America are particularly toxic. The Rough-skinned newt
Rough-skinned Newt
The rough-skinned newt is a North American newt known for its strong poison.- Toxicity :Many newts produce toxins to avoid predation, but the toxins of the genus Taricha are particularly potent...
Taricha granulosa of the Pacific Northwest produces more than enough tetrodotoxin
Tetrodotoxin
Tetrodotoxin, also known as "tetrodox" and frequently abbreviated as TTX, sometimes colloquially referred to as "zombie powder" by those who practice Vodou, is a potent neurotoxin with no known antidote. There have been successful tests of a possible antidote in mice, but further tests must be...
to kill an adult human, and some Native American
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
s of the Pacific Northwest used the toxin to poison their enemies. However, the toxins are only dangerous if ingested, and the newts can easily and safely live in the same ponds or streams as frogs and other amphibians, or be safely kept as pets. The only predators of Taricha newts are garter snakes, some having developed a resistance to the poison.
Most newts can be safely handled, provided that the toxins they produce are not ingested or allowed to come in contact with mucous membrane
Mucous membrane
The mucous membranes are linings of mostly endodermal origin, covered in epithelium, which are involved in absorption and secretion. They line cavities that are exposed to the external environment and internal organs...
s, or breaks in the skin. After handling, proper hand-washing techniques should be followed due to the risk from the toxins they produce and bacteria they carry, such as salmonella
Salmonella
Salmonella is a genus of rod-shaped, Gram-negative, non-spore-forming, predominantly motile enterobacteria with diameters around 0.7 to 1.5 µm, lengths from 2 to 5 µm, and flagella which grade in all directions . They are chemoorganotrophs, obtaining their energy from oxidation and reduction...
. It is, however, illegal to handle or disturb Great Crested Newt
Great Crested Newt
The Great Crested Newt, also called Northern Crested Newt or Warty Newt is a newt in the family Salamandridae, found across Europe and parts of Asia.-Distribution:...
s in the UK without a licence. Newts and salamanders are also very good environmental indicators because of their thin, sensitive skin. Most species are highly sensitive to subtle changes in the pH level of streams and lakes they live in. Because their skin is permeable to water they absorb oxygen and other substances they need through their skin. Scientists will study the stability of the amphibian population when studying the water quality of a particular body of water.
Systematics
About two thirds of all species of the family Salamandridae are commonly called "newts", compromising the following genera:- CalotritonCalotritonCalotriton is a genus of newts native to the Pyrenees and Central Catalonia .These amphibians were formerly placed within genus Euproctus.-Species:* Calotriton arnoldi Carranza & Amat, 2005 - Montseny Brook Newt...
, Spanish brook newts - Cynops, firebelly newts
- EchinotritonEchinotritonEchinotriton is a genus of salamander in the Salamandridae family.It contains the following species:* Anderson's Crocodile Newt * Chinhai Spiny Newt...
, spiny newts - Ichthyosaura, Alpine newts
- LissotritonLissotritonLissotriton is a genus of salamandrid newts that occur in Europe.-Species:*Bosca's Newt *Palmate Newt *Italian Newt *Carpathian Newt...
, small bodied newts - NeurergusNeurergusNeurergus is a genus of salamander, more specifically newt, in the Salamandridae family. They are found in the Middle East , and are bred in captivity for their bright colors. In nature they inhabit streams and small rivers, and the surrounding forest or shrublands...
, spotted newts - NotophthalmusNotophthalmusNotophthalmus is a genus of newts known commonly as North American newts. There are three species.- Species :*Black-Spotted Newt, Notophthalmus meridionalis *Striped Newt, Notophthalmus perstriatus...
, Eastern newts - OmmatotritonOmmatotritonOmmatotriton or Banded Newts is a genus of salamander in the Salamandridae family. It currently contains two species:*Northern Banded Newt *Southern Banded Newt...
, banded newts - PachytritonPachytritonPachytriton or Paddle-Tail Newts is a genus of salamander in the Salamandridae family.2 species *Spotted Paddle-Tail Newt *Paddle-Tail Newt...
, paddle-tail newts - ParamesotritonParamesotritonParamesotriton is a genus of salamander in the Salamandridae family.It contains the following species:* Spot-Tailed Warty Newt * Chinese Warty Newt...
, warty newts - PleurodelesPleurodelesThe Ribbed Newts is a group of three newt species:*Algerian Ribbed Newt *Edough Ribbed Newt *Iberian Ribbed Newt...
, ribbed newts - TarichaTarichaThe genus Taricha consists of three species and four subspecies of Western Newts . All newts are part of the family Salamandridae...
, Pacific newts - TriturusTriturusTriturus is a genus of newt, commonly known as the crested or marbled newts, depending on the species. They are found across most of Europe, parts of Russia and the Middle East...
, crested newts - TylototritonTylototritonTylototriton is a genus of newt known as crocodile newts. There are eight known species in this genus.-Species:* Black Knobby Newt * Hainan Knobby Newt...
, crocodile newts
The term "newt" has traditionally been seen as an exclusively functional term for salamanders living in water, and not a systematic unit
Biological classification
Biological classification, or scientific classification in biology, is a method to group and categorize organisms by biological type, such as genus or species. Biological classification is part of scientific taxonomy....
. The relationship between the genera has been uncertain, although it has been suggested that they constitute a natural systematic unit
Clade
A clade is a group consisting of a species and all its descendants. In the terms of biological systematics, a clade is a single "branch" on the "tree of life". The idea that such a "natural group" of organisms should be grouped together and given a taxonomic name is central to biological...
and newer molecular analyses tend to support this position.
Newts only appear in one subfamily of salamanders, the Pleurodelinae (of the family Salamandridae
Salamandridae
Salamandridae is a family of salamanders consisting of true salamanders and newts. Currently, 74 species have been identified in the northern hemisphere - Europe, Asia, the northern tip of Africa and North America...
),
however, Salamandrina
Salamandrina
Salamandrina is a genus of salamander in the Salamandridae family. The IUCN Red List follows Mattoccia et al. and Canestrelli et al. in separating Salamandrina perspicillata from S. terdigitata.It contains the following species:...
and Euproctus
Euproctus
Euproctus is a genus of salamander in the Salamandridae family.It contains the following species:* Euproctus montanus – Corsican Brook Salamander* Euproctus platycephalus – Sardinian Brook Salamander...
, which are sometimes listed as Pleurodelinae, are not newts. Whether these are basal
Basal (phylogenetics)
In phylogenetics, a basal clade is the earliest clade to branch in a larger clade; it appears at the base of a cladogram.A basal group forms an outgroup to the rest of the clade, such as in the following example:...
to the subfamily (and thus the sister group of the newt group) or derived
Derived
In phylogenetics, a derived trait is a trait that is present in an organism, but was absent in the last common ancestor of the group being considered. This may also refer to structures that are not present in an organism, but were present in its ancestors, i.e. traits that have undergone secondary...
, making the newts an evolutionary grade
Evolutionary grade
In alpha taxonomy, a grade refers to a taxon united by a level of morphological or physiological complexity. The term was coined by British biologist Julian Huxley, to contrast with clade, a strictly phylogenetic unit.-Definition:...
(an "incomplete" systematic unit, where not all branches of the family tree belong to the group) is currently not known.
Distribution
The three common EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an genera are the crested newts (Triturus
Triturus
Triturus is a genus of newt, commonly known as the crested or marbled newts, depending on the species. They are found across most of Europe, parts of Russia and the Middle East...
spp.), the smooth
Smooth Newt
The Smooth Newt, also known as the Common Newt, Lissotriton vulgaris is the most common newt species of the Lissotriton genus of amphibians. L...
and palmate newt
Palmate Newt
The Palmate Newt is a species of newt found in most of Western Europe, including Great Britain. It is protected by law in all countries where it occurs, and is thought to be extremely rare to endangered in the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg and vulnerable in Spain and Poland but common...
s (Lissotriton
Lissotriton
Lissotriton is a genus of salamandrid newts that occur in Europe.-Species:*Bosca's Newt *Palmate Newt *Italian Newt *Carpathian Newt...
spp.) and the banded Newt
Banded Newt
The Southern Banded Newt is a species of salamander in the Salamandridae family.It is found in Armenia, Georgia, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Russian Federation, Syria, Turkey, and possibly Palestinian Territory, Occupied....
s (Ommatotriton
Ommatotriton
Ommatotriton or Banded Newts is a genus of salamander in the Salamandridae family. It currently contains two species:*Northern Banded Newt *Southern Banded Newt...
spp.). Other species present in Europe are the Iberian ribbed newt
Iberian Ribbed Newt
The Iberian ribbed newt or Spanish ribbed newt is a newt endemic to the central and southern Iberian Peninsula and Morocco. It is known for its sharp ribs which can puncture through its sides, and as such is also called the sharp-ribbed newt.-Physical description:The Iberian Ribbed Newt has...
(Plurodeles waltl), which is the largest of the European newts, the pyrenean brook newt (Calotriton
Calotriton
Calotriton is a genus of newts native to the Pyrenees and Central Catalonia .These amphibians were formerly placed within genus Euproctus.-Species:* Calotriton arnoldi Carranza & Amat, 2005 - Montseny Brook Newt...
sp.); the European brook newt (Euproctus
Euproctus
Euproctus is a genus of salamander in the Salamandridae family.It contains the following species:* Euproctus montanus – Corsican Brook Salamander* Euproctus platycephalus – Sardinian Brook Salamander...
sp.) and the Alpine newt
Alpine Newt
The Alpine Newt is a newt of the Salamander order Caudata in the class of Amphibians.-Description:...
(Mesotriton alpestris).
In North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, there are the Eastern newts (Notophthalmus
Notophthalmus
Notophthalmus is a genus of newts known commonly as North American newts. There are three species.- Species :*Black-Spotted Newt, Notophthalmus meridionalis *Striped Newt, Notophthalmus perstriatus...
spp.), of which the red-spotted newt (Notophthalmus viridescens) is the most abundant species, but it is limited to the area east of the Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
. The three species of coastal or Western newts are the red-bellied newt
Red-bellied Newt
The Red-bellied newt is a newt, native to coastal woodlands in northern California, which is terrestrial for most of its life.-Physical description:...
, the California newt
California Newt
The California newt is a newt. It is also referred to as the orange bellied newt. They can grow to be in length.- Physical description :T. torosa adult length can range from to...
, and the rough-skinned newt
Rough-skinned Newt
The rough-skinned newt is a North American newt known for its strong poison.- Toxicity :Many newts produce toxins to avoid predation, but the toxins of the genus Taricha are particularly potent...
, all of which belong to the genus Taricha
Taricha
The genus Taricha consists of three species and four subspecies of Western Newts . All newts are part of the family Salamandridae...
, which is confined to the area west of the Rockies.
In Southeast Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, species commonly encountered in the pet
Pet
A pet is a household animal kept for companionship and a person's enjoyment, as opposed to wild animals or to livestock, laboratory animals, working animals or sport animals, which are kept for economic or productive reasons. The most popular pets are noted for their loyal or playful...
trade include the fire belly newts
Fire Belly Newt
The Fire Belly Newts , or Fire Newts, are a genus of newts native to Japan and China. All of the species show bright yellow or red bellies, however this feature is not unique to this genus.-Species:...
(Cynops spp.), the paddletail newts (Pachytriton
Pachytriton
Pachytriton or Paddle-Tail Newts is a genus of salamander in the Salamandridae family.2 species *Spotted Paddle-Tail Newt *Paddle-Tail Newt...
spp.), the crocodile newts (Tylototriton
Tylototriton
Tylototriton is a genus of newt known as crocodile newts. There are eight known species in this genus.-Species:* Black Knobby Newt * Hainan Knobby Newt...
spp.), and the warty newts (Paramesotriton
Paramesotriton
Paramesotriton is a genus of salamander in the Salamandridae family.It contains the following species:* Spot-Tailed Warty Newt * Chinese Warty Newt...
spp.). In the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
there are the spotted newts (Neurergus
Neurergus
Neurergus is a genus of salamander, more specifically newt, in the Salamandridae family. They are found in the Middle East , and are bred in captivity for their bright colors. In nature they inhabit streams and small rivers, and the surrounding forest or shrublands...
spp.).
Conservation status
Some newt populations in Europe have decreased because of pollution or destruction of their breeding sites and terrestrial habitats, and countries such as the UK have taken steps to halt their declines. In the UK, they are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom and was implemented to comply with the Directive 2009/147/EC on the conservation of wild birds...
and the Habitat Regulations Act 1994. It is illegal to catch, possess or handle Great Crested Newt
Great Crested Newt
The Great Crested Newt, also called Northern Crested Newt or Warty Newt is a newt in the family Salamandridae, found across Europe and parts of Asia.-Distribution:...
s without a licence, and it is also illegal to cause them harm or death, or to disturb their habitat in any way. The IUCN Red List
IUCN Red List
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , founded in 1963, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the world's main authority on the conservation status of species...
categorises the species as ‘lower risk’
Although the other UK species, the smooth newt
Smooth Newt
The Smooth Newt, also known as the Common Newt, Lissotriton vulgaris is the most common newt species of the Lissotriton genus of amphibians. L...
and palmate newt
Palmate Newt
The Palmate Newt is a species of newt found in most of Western Europe, including Great Britain. It is protected by law in all countries where it occurs, and is thought to be extremely rare to endangered in the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg and vulnerable in Spain and Poland but common...
are not listed, the sale of either species is prohibited under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981.
In Europe, nine newts are listed as "strictly protected fauna species" under appendix II of the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats
Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats
The Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats 1979, also known as the Bern Convention , came into force on June 1, 1982....
:
- Euproctus asper
- Euproctus montanus
- Euproctus platycephalus
- Triturus carnifex
- Triturus cristatus
- Triturus dobrogicus
- Triturus italicus
- Triturus karelinii
- Triturus montandoni
The remaining European species are listed as "protected fauna species" under appendix III.
Etymology
The etymology for this term has gone through a complex twist of old Middle English variations. The oldest form of the name is eft, which is still used for newly metamorphosed specimens, but according to the Oxford English DictionaryOxford English Dictionary
The Oxford English Dictionary , published by the Oxford University Press, is the self-styled premier dictionary of the English language. Two fully bound print editions of the OED have been published under its current name, in 1928 and 1989. The first edition was published in twelve volumes , and...
it changed for unknown reasons first to euft and then to ewt. For some time it remained as an ewt, but the "n" from the indefinite article an shifted to form a newt. The sexually mature stage was also called an ewte, with similar etymology roots linking an ewte, newt, "euft", and eft: "small lizard-like animal," .