Newts
Smooth Newt (Triturus vulgaris)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Lissamphibia Order: Urodela/Caudata Family: Salamandridae

The Newt is an amphibian of the Salamandridae family, order Urodela or Caudata, found in North America, Europe, and Asia. The Smooth Newt, also known as the Common Newt Triturus vulgaris, or Lissotriton vulgaris is the most common Newt species of the Chordates ( Phylum Chordata) are a group of Animals that includes the Vertebrates together with several closely related Invertebrates The subclass Lissamphibia includes all recent Amphibians Extant amphibians fall into one of three orders - the Anura ( Frogs including Salamander (orig from Persian: sām, "fire" and andarūn, "within" is the common name for a group of approximately 500 Species Salamandridae is a family of Salamanders consisting of true salamanders and Newts There are currently 74 Species (with more expected spread all Prehistoric amphibian Amphibians (class Amphibia such as Frogs Toads Salamanders Newts Gymnophiona, Sirens and Salamandridae is a family of Salamanders consisting of true salamanders and Newts There are currently 74 Species (with more expected spread all Salamander (orig from Persian: sām, "fire" and andarūn, "within" is the common name for a group of approximately 500 Species Their eggs are laid singly in ponds or slow-moving streams, attached to aquatic plants. A pond is a body of water smaller than a Lake, both being examples of Terrain features Although the term pond is universally used to describe waterbodies that This distinguishes them from the free-floating eggs of frogs, that are laid in clumps, or toads, that are laid in strings. The larvae leave the water as a terrestrial form called an eft, returning to the water when mature to live or to breed. The adult form has a lizard-like body and is either aquatic or semi-aquatic.

Etymology

The oldest form of the name is eft, which is still used for newly metamorphosed juveniles, but according to the Oxford English Dictionary it changed for unknown reasons first to euft and then to ewt. The Oxford English Dictionary ( OED) published by the Oxford University Press (OUP is a comprehensive Dictionary of the English For some time it remained as an ewt, but the "n" from the indefinite article an shifted to form a newt. ' A' and ' an' function as the indefinite forms of the grammatical article in the English language and can also represent the number one

Distribution

The three common European genera are the crested newts (Triturus sp. The great crested newt, northern crested newt or warty newt ( Triturus cristatus) is a Newt in the family Salamandridae, found Triturus (from Triton, son of Poseidon and Greek: ura, meaning tail is a genus of Newt, commonly known as the crested ), the smooth newts and palmate newts (Lissotriton sp. The Smooth Newt, also known as the Common Newt Triturus vulgaris, or Lissotriton vulgaris is the most common Newt species of the The Palmate Newt ( Lissotriton helveticus) is a species of Newt found in parts of Great Britain, Western and Northern Europe. ) and the banded newts (Ommatotriton sp. UserPolbot. -->The Southern Banded Newt ( Ommatotriton vittatus) is a species of Salamander in the UserPolbot. -->The Southern Banded Newt ( Ommatotriton vittatus) is a species of Salamander in the ). Other species present in Europe are the Iberian ribbed newt (Plurodeles waltl), which is the largest of the European newts,^[1] the pyrenean brook newt (Calotriton sp. The Iberian Ribbed Newt or Spanish Ribbed Newt ( Pleurodeles waltl) is a Newt endemic to the central and southern Iberian Peninsula and ); the European brook newt (Euproctus sp. UserPolbot. --> Euproctus is a genus of Salamander in the Salamandridae family ) and the Alpine newt (Mesotriton alpestris). The Alpine Newt ( Triturus alpestris) belongs to the order Salamander (Urodela or Caudata in the class of Amphibians. ^[2][3]

In North America, there are the Eastern newts (Notophthalmus sp. Notophthalmus is a Genus of Newts known commonly as North American newts. ), 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 eastern newt ( Notophthalmus viridescens) is a common Salamander of eastern North America. Mountain peaks of the Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains, often called the Rockies, are a Mountain range in western North America. 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. The Red-bellied newt ( Taricha rivularis) is a Newt, native to coastal woodlands in northern California, which is terrestrial for most of Subspecies California newts a species of toxic amphibian living in the United States are divided into two subspecies Sierra newt ( Taricha torosa sierrae The rough-skinned newt ( Taricha granulosa) is a North American Newt known for its strong poison The genus Taricha consists of three species and four subspecies of Western Newts (sometimes referred to as Pacific Newts)

In Southeast Asia and Japan, species commonly encountered in the pet trade include the fire belly newts (Cynops sp. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. A pet is an Animal kept for companionship and enjoyment or a househeld animal as opposed to Livestock, Laboratory animals Working animals The Fire Belly Newts ( Cynops) or Fire Newts, are a genus of Newts native to Japan and China. The Fire Belly Newts ( Cynops) or Fire Newts, are a genus of Newts native to Japan and China. ), the paddletail newts (Pachytriton sp. ), the crocodile newts (Tylototriton sp. Tylototriton is a Genus of Newt known as crocodile newts There are eight known species in this genus ), and the warty newts (Paramesotriton sp. UserPolbot. --> Paramesotriton is a genus of Salamander in the Salamandridae family ). In the Middle East there are the middle eastern newts (Neurergus sp. The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. UserPolbot. --> Neurergus is a genus of Salamander in the Salamandridae family ). ^[4]

Characteristics

A Red-spotted newt showing bright aposematic coloration to warn predators of its highly toxic skin.

Like all members of the order Caudata, newts are characterised by a lizard-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. ^[5] They have the ability to regenerate limbs, eyes, spinal cords, hearts, intestines, and upper and lower jaws. In Biology, an Organism is said to regenerate a lost or damaged part if the part regrows so that the original function is restored A limb (from the Old English lim) is a jointed or Prehensile (as Octopus tentacles or new world Monkey tails Appendage of the Eyes are organs that detect Light, and send signals along the Optic nerve to the visual areas of the brain The spinal cord is a long thin tubular bundle of Nerves that is an extension of the Central nervous system from the brain and is enclosed in and protected The heart is a muscular organ in all Vertebrates responsible for pumping Blood through the Blood vessels by repeated rhythmic In Anatomy, the intestine is the segment of the alimentary canal extending from the Stomach to the Anus and in humans and other mammals consists The jaw is either of the two opposable structures forming or near the entrance to the Mouth. The cells at the site of the injury have the ability to de-differentiate, reproduce rapidly, and differentiate again to create a new limb or organ. The cell is the structural and functional unit of all known living Organisms It is the smallest unit of an organism that is classified as living and is often called In Developmental biology, cellular differentiation is the process by which a less specialized cell becomes a more specialized Cell type. 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. See also Cancer A tumor or tumour is the name for a swelling or lesion formed by an abnormal growth of cells (termed neoplastic ^[6] Many newts produce toxins in their skin secretions as a defense mechanism against predators. A toxin ( Greek:, toxikon, lit (poison for use on arrows is a Poisonous substance produced by living cells or organisms that is active at very low Many Plants and Animals have developed physical defence mechanisms ( American English) 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. The rough-skinned newt ( Taricha granulosa) is a North American Newt known for its strong poison Tetrodotoxin (anhydrotetrodotoxin 4-epitetrodotoxin tetrodonic acid TTX is a potent Neurotoxin with no known antidote which blocks Action potentials in Nerves In order to cause harm, the toxins have to enter the body by being ingested or entering a break in the skin. ^[7]

Development

Alpine newt larva

The main breeding season for newts is between the months of February and June. The Alpine Newt ( Triturus alpestris) belongs to the order Salamander (Urodela or Caudata in the class of Amphibians. A larva ( Latin; plural larvae) is a juvenile form of Animal with indirect development, undergoing Metamorphosis (for example After courtship rituals of varying complexity, which take place in ponds or slow moving streams, the eggs are fertilised outside the female's body and attached, singly, to the leaves of aquatic plants. In most Birds and Reptiles an egg ( Latin ovum) is the Zygote, resulting from Fertilization of the Ovum. The plant leaves are usually folded over and adhered to the eggs to protect them. The tadpoles, which resemble fish fry but are distinguished by their feathery external gills, hatch in about three weeks. A tadpole or polliwog (also pollywog, polliwig, polewig, or polwig) is the wholly aquatic larval stage in the life cycle of 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 change into air-breathing lungs. Metamorphosis is a Biological process by which an Animal physically develops after Birth or hatching involving a conspicuous and relatively ^[8][9]Some species, such as the North American 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". ^[10] 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. ^[11]

Handling and toxicity

Although newts have a toxin on their skin, most newts can be safely handled, provided that the toxins they produce are not ingested or allowed to come in contact with mucous membranes or breaks in the skin. The mucous membranes (or mucosae; singular mucosa) are linings of mostly endodermal origin covered in Epithelium, which are involved in 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 is a Genus of rod-shaped Gram-negative enterobacteria that causes Typhoid fever, Paratyphoid fever ^[12][13]. It is, however, illegal to handle or disturb Great Crested Newts in the UK without a licence. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located ^[14] A 29-year-old man in Coos Bay, Oregon, who had been drinking heavily, swallowed a rough-skin newt Taricha granulosa for a dare. Coos Bay is an S-shaped Inlet, approximately 10 mi (16 km long and 2 mi (3 km wide on the Pacific Ocean coast of southwestern Oregon in the United Oregon ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. He died later that day despite hospital treatment. ^[7]

Folklore held that pigs in England could eat newts with impunity, while their French porcine cousins would die a horrible death from the same ingestion. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland ^[7]. Some Native Americans of the Pacific Northwest used Taricha newts to poison their enemies. For indigenous peoples in the United States other than Hawaii and Alaska see also Native Americans in the United States. ^[7]

Conservation status

Newt populations have fallen across the world, due to pollution or destruction of their breeding sites and terrestrial habitats, and countries such as the USA and the UK have taken steps to halt their decline. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located ^[15][16] In the UK they are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the Habitat Regulations Act 1994. The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom which aims to protect the Wildlife and Countryside of the It is illegal to catch, possess or handle Great Crested Newts without a licence and it is also illegal to cause them harm or death, or to disturb their habitat in any way. The great crested newt, northern crested newt or warty newt ( Triturus cristatus) is a Newt in the family Salamandridae, found The IUCN Red List categorises the species as ‘lower risk’ ^[17][18] 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. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data List) created in 1963 is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global The Smooth Newt, also known as the Common Newt Triturus vulgaris, or Lissotriton vulgaris is the most common Newt species of the The Palmate Newt ( Lissotriton helveticus) is a species of Newt found in parts of Great Britain, Western and Northern Europe. ^[19]

Newts in popular culture

• "As pissed as a newt" is a popular British expression to describe someone who is very drunk, a reference to the side-to-side gait of a newt on land. British English or UK English ( BrE, BE, en-GB) is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the ^[20][21]
• "Eye of newt, and toe of frog, wool of bat, and tongue of dog" was part of the incantation of the three witches in Shakespeare's Macbeth^[22]
• Ex-Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone is often lampooned for his interest in keeping and breeding newts and has become known as "King-Newt" to some of his political rivals. William Shakespeare ( baptised Macbeth is among the best-known of William Shakespeare 's plays, and is his shortest tragedy, believed to have been written some time between The Mayor of London is an elected politician who along with the London Assembly of 25 members is accountable for the strategic government of Greater London (see Kenneth Robert Livingstone (born 17 June 1945 is a British Socialist Politician. ^[23]
• In 1936, Czech science-fiction writer Karel Čapek wrote an internationally-acclaimed novel called War With the Newts about the discovery of a species of intelligent newts in an island close to Indonesia. Year 1936 ( MCMXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Czech Republic ( ˈt͡ʃɛskaː ˈrɛpuˌblɪka short form in Česko ˈt͡ʃɛskɔ also called Czechia, Karel Čapek ( pronounced) ( January 9, 1890 – December 25, 1938 was one of the most influential Czech writers of the 20th century War with the Newts ( Válka s mloky in the original Czech) also translated as War with the Salamanders, is a 1936 satirical The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia.
• Version 6. 10 of the Ubuntu Operating System was named Edgy Eft. Ubuntu Kubuntu Edubuntu Xubuntu Gobuntu --> Ubuntu An operating system (commonly abbreviated OS and O/S) is the software component of a Computer system that is responsible for the management and coordination

References

External links

• Caudata.nl - The Dutch Newt & Salamander Site
• Caudatamedia
• Caudata Culture
• Eastern Newt - Notophthalmus viridescens Species account from the Iowa Reptile and Amphibian Field Guide