Triton (lat. Triturus ) belongs to the phylum Chordata, subphylum Vertebrates, superclass Tetrapods, class Amphibians, subclass Lissamphibians, order Caudate Amphibians, family true salamanders. The Internet resource Wikipedia also classifies them as belonging to the family of salamanders and lungless salamanders.
Triton - this is not a lizard or a toad, this is an animal whose life passes in two elements: in water and on land.
Triton - description
Adult size newts can reach 10-20 cm in length. The spindle-shaped body is connected to a rather large flat head through a short neck and ends with a tail, which has a laterally compressed shape and is equal in length to the body. The four limbs are well developed and of equal length. The front ones have 3-4 fingers, and the back ones have up to 5. Newts swim well and run briskly along the bottom of the reservoir under the water column, but on land they are rather clumsy.
Breath triton occurs as follows: the larvae receive oxygen through the gills, and the adults breathe through the skin and lungs, into which the newt’s gills are transformed. The amphibian has a special leathery rim on its tail, with the help of which oxygen is extracted from the water. If newts switch to an almost completely terrestrial lifestyle, it will atrophy. The skin of the newt, covering the body of the animal, can be either bumpy or smooth; on the stomach it is always without a pronounced relief. The color of the newt is influenced not only by its species, but also by its habitat. The shape and size of the dorsal crest of the male newt, which appears in mating season.
The weak vision of newts is compensated by a good sense of smell: some individuals “recognize” the location of their prey by smell already 200-300 meters away. The conical teeth of the newt are located on the palate in the form of two parallel rows, sometimes diverging at a slight angle, so this structure of the oral cavity allows the amphibian to capture and securely hold the prey.
Where does newt live?
Distribution area newts covers almost the entire globe, with the exception of Antarctica, Australia and Africa. Newts live in Northern and South America, Asia and Europe, are found even beyond the Arctic Circle.
Amphibian triton lives in places rich in vegetation. After leaving the reservoir, he waits out the hot hours in a shelter, which can be fallen tree bark, piles of stones, rotten stumps and abandoned burrows of small rodents. In winter, the newt animal goes into hibernation (lasting almost 8 months), hiding in a secluded place: for example, under a pile of dead wood, buried in the ground or in fallen leaves.
What do newts eat?
Basic diet newts are invertebrates. When living in water bodies, these can be small crustaceans, mosquito larvae and mayflies. When coming onto land, newts eat slugs, earthworms and the larvae of various terrestrial insects. Amphibians are active at night.
Reproduction of newts.
With the onset of spring, the male and female newt return to the body of water where they were born. After the male performs the mating dance, internal fertilization occurs. The male newt releases his spermatophores into the water, which the female newt picks up with her cloaca. The eggs attach to underwater vegetation. After 20 days, newt larvae with gills appear. During the summer they undergo metamorphosis, and by autumn newts up to 4 cm long with formed lungs come ashore.
Newt eggs
Of the many types newts The following representatives can be distinguished:
Common newt(lat. Lissotriton vulgaris) is the most common species of these amphibians. The length of the body including the tail does not exceed 11 cm. The skin of the newt can be either smooth or covered with small pimples. The top of the head, back and tail are usually olive-brown in color, and dark spots are visible on the lower part, painted in yellowish tones.
While living in water, common newts feed on mosquito and dragonfly larvae and small crustaceans. On land, the main diet consists of caterpillars, insects and earthworms. The distribution area of this type of newt includes the countries of Western, Central and Northern Europe and most of the territory of Russia. Lives in forests with predominantly deciduous trees, parks and bush-covered beams.
Common newt
The crested newt (lat. Triturus cristatus) can reach 18 cm in length. The color of the upper part of the tail and body is black or black-brown. On the abdomen orange color black spots are clearly visible. The crest that male newts develop during the mating season is jagged in appearance. It lives, like the common newt, in most European countries. However, it is not found in the Pyrenees and the north of the Scandinavian Peninsula. In Russia, the distribution area reaches the south of the Sverdlovsk region. The habitat of this species is mixed and deciduous groves and cultivated forest plantations.
Crested newt
The Alpine newt (lat. Ichthyosaura alpestris) is the most beautiful representative of tailed amphibians. The smooth skin on the back of males is brown with gray tint, on the sides and limbs there are dark blue spots of an abstract shape. The color of the abdomen is orange-red, top part the tail is gray with a blue tint, and the lower one with an olive tint. Size adult can reach 13 cm. The Alpine newt is widespread in the mountainous and foothill regions of Greece, Spain, Italy and Denmark. Representatives of this species are not found on the territory of the Russian Federation.
Alpine newt
The marbled newt (Triturus marmoratus), found in Spain, France and Portugal, is light green with black spots. indeterminate form, giving the skin a marbled texture. White spots are located in a chaotic order on the black abdomen. Distinctive feature females are a thin orange or red stripe running along the body. The length of adult newts does not exceed 17 cm. Amphibians live near bodies of water with standing water or rivers with calm and slow flows. The lifestyle is in many ways reminiscent of the common newt.
Marbled newt
The spiny newt (ribbed newt) (lat. Pleurodeles waltl) has a brown color with spots of an indeterminate shape of orange-red color. The abdomen is yellow-brown with small black spots. A distinctive feature of this species is the absence of a dorsal crest in males during the mating season and the ribs protruding outward through holes in the skin and containing a poisonous substance. An adult can reach a length of 23 cm.
Unlike most of their relatives, adult spiny newts are capable of leading both terrestrial and aquatic lifestyles and thrive in natural and artificial reservoirs, as well as in wet ditches. Its habitat includes Morocco, Spain and Portugal.
Spine newt (ribbed newt)
The Asia Minor newt (Ommatotriton vittatus, synonym of the Latin Triturus vittatus) can reach a length of 14 cm. It is widespread in Turkey, Iraq, the Krasnodar Territory, Abkhazia, Israel and Georgia. During the breeding season, the skin of males has a bright bronze-olive color with small black spots and silver stripes located along the body. The high, jagged nuptial comb is located only on the back and does not extend to the tail. This species of newt lives in flowing water bodies, mixed and deciduous forests. His diet includes aquatic molluscs, insect larvae, worms and arachnids. Uses a long tongue to catch food.
Asia Minor newt
Karelin's newt (lat. Triturus karelinii) has an average body length of 13 cm, but some species reach sizes of 18 cm. For this reason, Karelin is considered the largest in the genus of newts. Body color is brown or gray with dark spots. The belly and throat are yellow or orange with small black spots. Lives in forest and mountain areas in Greece, Bulgaria, Turkey, Georgia, Serbia, Crimea and Black Sea coast Russia.
What does newt Karelin look like?
Ussuri clawed triton(Ussuri salamander) (lat. Onychodactylus fischeri) is a fairly large species of newt. The length of the body without the tail is 58-90 mm, the total length with the tail reaches 12.5-18.5 cm. The tail is usually longer than the body. Lives in mixed and coniferous forests in Korea, eastern China, and southern Far East Russia. Usually lives in cold streams, where the water temperature does not exceed 10-12 degrees. It feeds on insects and mollusks. Basically, this type of newt is constantly in water, as it does not tolerate dry skin. Newts overwinter in groups in holes, cracks in the ground or the trunk of a half-rotten tree.
Ussuri clawed newt
The yellow-bellied newt (lat. Taricha granulosa) has a length of 13 to 22 cm. The skin of these amphibians is granular, the back is brown or brown-black, the belly is yellow or orange. Some species have spots on their sides. It lives on the west coast of Canada and the USA. Like many other newts, the yellow-bellied newt secretes a powerful poison, tetrodotoxin.
Yellow-bellied newt
The California newt (lat. Taricha torosa) can reach a length of 20 cm. The color of the amphibian can be dark and light brown. This species of newt lives in the southwestern United States: in the Sierra Nevada mountains and on the California coast. This type of newt feeds on insects, snails, worms, slugs, and small invertebrates.
California newt
Newt lovers keep the animals in terrariums equipped with a lid. This requires a horizontal container with a volume of at least 40 liters, where you need to arrange a piece of land and a small pond with 15 liters of water. The water should be changed every 7 days. The temperature should not exceed 220C. Earthworms, bloodworms and aquarium shrimp are used as food for newts.
Interesting facts about newts:
The Siberian salamander easily tolerates wintering at a temperature of -40 C.
Tritons have incredible regenerative ability. Not only a lost tail or limbs are restored, but also internal organs, as well as accidentally damaged eyes.
are small semi-aquatic amphibians that look like a cross between a frog and a lizard. Tritons have several interesting features. For example, although they may look cute and harmless, they can be dangerous: toxins released through the skin as a defense mechanism can kill a person.
Newts can also regrow lost limbs and organs. This ability makes them important topic in medical research on regeneration. In addition, some newts have flown on space missions.
And newt and salamander
Newts are members of the salamander family and there are more than 60 species. All newts are salamanders, but not all salamanders are newts. As a rule, with some exceptions, newts spend most of their adult life in water than salamanders. In addition, there are more characteristic differences between salamanders and newts.
Main difference between salamander and newt, how they are classified
Newts belong to the genus Cynops, Echinotriton, Euproctus, Neurergus, Notophthalmus, Pachytriton, Paramesotriton, Pleurodeles, Taricha, Triturus or Tylototriton. "Real salamanders" belong to Chioglossa, Mertensiella, depending on animal diversity.
Triton: dimensions
Newts have lizard-like bodies with four legs and long tails. Most have smooth, moist skin, although some species, such as dusky newts, have rough, grainy skin. Most species have well-developed lungs, while some have gills and are completely aquatic.
With so many species, newts come in different sizes. They are usually less than 20 centimeters. For example, the bearded newt grows up to 18 cm and weighs between 6.3 and 10.6 grams.
Alpine newt
Newt habitat
Newt habitat extends throughout the Northern Hemisphere. In North America, Europe, Asia and North Africa. Some live on land, while others live almost exclusively in water. For example, the alligator newt lives on the southern islands of Japan in swamps, forests, meadows and arable lands. The Eastern red newt is found in the eastern part North America in ponds, lakes and swamps.
Habits
Many newts are active during the day, while others are active at night. They all spend most of their time hunting for food or resting in a cool area in the shade.
Their mating ritual is especially interesting. When mating occurs, the male releases a strong pheromone to attract the female. He then dances a little while waving his tail in the air. The pheromone works so well that when a male is not around, females will try to mate with each other, according to a 2013 study at the Free University of Brussels.
Newt regeneration
According to an article in the journal Nature, newts can regenerate fully functional limbs, organs and tissues, including heart muscle components. nervous system and the lens of the eye. The researcher hopes that the ability of newts to regenerate is based on a common genetic characteristic and is found, even in a latent form, in all animals. Research suggests this may not be so simple due to the enormous size of the newt genome, which is 10 times larger than the human genome.
Strauch's spotted newt
Toxicity
Many newts rely on their skin color—green, black or brown—to camouflage themselves and avoid predators. Others are marked with bright warning colors to show that they are toxic and will not make good food.
These newts secrete mucus that is quite toxic. A 1966 study published in the journal Toxicon found that at least 10 species have substances called tarichatoxins and tetrodotoxins. According to Caudata culture, tetrodotoxin or TTX is the most poisonous non-protein substance. It is a powerful neurotoxin that blocks signals from the nervous system to the muscles, so, for example, it blocks the brain signals that tell your heart to beat.
A study found that the skin of the rough newt is poisonous enough to kill 25,000 mice. The study also cited a case involving a man in Oregon who swallowed a newt while drunk. After a few minutes, his lips began to tingle. Over the next two hours, he began to feel numb and weak. He died later that day despite hospital treatment.
Newt nutrition
Newts are carnivores. They feed on slugs, worms, small invertebrates, amphibian eggs and insects on land. In the water, tadpoles, shrimp, aquatic insects, insect larvae and shellfish are on the menu. Newt larvae can feed on small shrimp and insect larvae that they find in the water.
Newt breeding
Most newts reproduce by laying eggs, and one female can lay hundreds of eggs. For example, a bearded newt can lay 200 to 300 eggs, according to National Geographic. However, they place them one at a time and attach them to aquatic plants. Several species of newts lay eggs on land.
Newborn babies, called tadpoles, resemble fish fry with feathered external gills. Like frogs, newts develop into their adult form.
Classification
Here is the taxonomic information for newts, according to the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS):
Kingdom: Animals
Sub-kingdoms: Bilateria
Type: Chordates
Subphylum: Vertebrates
Superclass: Tetrapod
Class: Amphibians
Squad: Tailed
Family: Salamanders
Thus, there are currently 8 species of newts in the genus Triturus:
- Triturus carnifex (Laurenti, 1768) – Grey-spotted newt
- Triturus cristatus (Laurenti, 1768) - Crested newt
- Triturus dobrogicus (Kiritzescu, 1903) – Danube newt
- Triturus ivanbureschi Arntzen et Wielstra in Wielstra, Litvinchuk, Naumov, Tzankov et Arntzen, 2013
- Triturus karelinii (Strauch, 1870) – Karelin's newt
- Triturus macedonicus (Karaman, 1922)
- Triturus marmoratus (Latreille, 1800) - Marbled newt
- Triturus pygmaeus (Wolterstorff, 1905)
Previously, the genus Triturus consisted of 11 species. Currently it is divided into 4 genera:
the genus of small newts (Lissotriton) included small species of newts: Spanish newt (T. boscai), thread-bearing newt (T. helveticus), T. italicus, Carpathian newt (T. montandoni) and common newt (T. vulgaris),
the genus Ommatotriton includes the species T. ophryticus and the Asia Minor newt (T. vittatus),
the only species of alpine newt (M. alpestris) was assigned to the genus Mesotriton, and the remaining species still belong to the genus Triturus.
Tritons in space
Two space missions in 1994 and 1995 studied embryonic development Japanese red-bellied newt. In space, female "astronaut newts" were forced to lay eggs in orbit, according to a study. The eggs were exposed to space environments, such as low gravity, aboard the Spacelab mission. Once the embryos were recovered, the morphology did not deviate from those developed on earth. However, pathological changes were found in several organs of adult newts that returned alive.
Newts are a group of tailed amphibians from the salamander family. Usually newts are called aquaticrepresentatives, and land ones - salamanders.
About 10 species are common in Europe and Asia; in Russia there are about three species - common,crested and Asiatic newts.
Adults of this genus lead an aquatic or semi-aquatic lifestyle. They breathe atmospheric air and sometimes they like to dry off on the shore. With minimal humidity, newts can do without water: in dry conditionsDuring periods these animals can live in a thick layer of algae in dry bodies of water.
Newts are capable of regenerating lost body parts. Cases of complete recovery are common internal organs And even the eyes.
Aquariums usually contain species common in Russia:
Common newt (Lissotriton vulgaris), which belongs to the genus of small newts and found almost throughout Europe, and in Asia the range reaches the Altai Mountains. This is one of the mostsmall newts, the size of which does not exceed 11 cm. Males are usually larger than females. During the mating seasonIn males, a characteristic crest is formed on the back.
The body color of newts is brown or olive, the abdomen is orange-yellow with dark spots. Through the eyes withThere is a dark longitudinal stripe on both sides of the head.
The common newt is highly resistant to low temperatures. SometimesRepresentatives of this species can be found in bodies of water that are still partially covered with ice.
Crested newt (Triturus cristatus) grows up to 18 cm. Lives in most of Europe, in Russia the rangereaches the Urals. Prefers forested areas of coniferous, deciduous or mixed type, Alsofound in parks and gardens, meadows. For breeding, it selects shallow reservoirs with clean water.
This species of newt received its name due to the high ridge along the back and tail, whichappears in males during the mating season. The height of the ridge can reach 1.5 cm. At the base of the ridge you can seeisthmus, and part of the crest from head to tail has pronounced teeth.
The crested newt is distinguished by its black-brown coloration on the back and an orange or yellow tint.abdomen The body is covered with large black spots. Females are distinguished by a lighter color and yellow longitudinalline on the back. A silver-gray stripe stretches along the tail.
Crested newts are capable of making quiet sounds - creaking, squeaking and dull whistles.
Of the European newts, the most common inhabitant of the aquarium is (Pleurodeles waltl) - one of the largest newts, reaching a length of 20-30 cm. It is found in the western part of the Iberian Peninsula and in the north of Morocco. Spine newts lack a dorsal ridge, their small tail is slightly flattened, and the end of the tail is rounded. Females have a shorter tail. The color of the back is brown or black-brown; there are small dark spots on the grayish belly. A number of red or yellow spots are visible on the sides.
A distinctive feature of the species is the pointed ends of the ribs with a poisonous substance, protruding from the sides of the animal in case of danger.
It can lead both an aquatic and terrestrial lifestyle; there are cases when the spiny newt may not leave a reservoir for several years. Spine newts prefer cool, quiet, deep freshwater bodies and feed on insects, worms and tadpoles. Active in daytime days.
Another spanish newt (Lissotriton boscai), orThe Bosca's newt, named after the Spanish zoologist Eduardo Bosca, is found exclusively onterritories of Spain and Portugal, where it lives on dry, mountainous or sandy soils (eucalyptus,pine or oak forests), as well as wet ones (swamps, ditches, ponds, lakes, streams and rivers).
On average, the body length of the Spanish newt reaches 10 cm, males are smaller than females.Adult Spanish newts are distinguished by their square body shape in cross section, which theygive glandular protrusions in the back area. The tail is flattened laterally. During the mating season, males have along the taila low ridge is formed. The rest of the time, the Spanish newt has no crest.
The skin of the Spanish newt is smooth and shiny throughout the entire aquatic phase of life, while living on land.the skin becomes rough and rough. The color of the newt varies from olive or brown to dirty yellow,during the period of habitat on land, the color becomes almost black. Females are usually darker than males. All over the bodynewt may have scattered black spots. During the mating season, males have on the sides of the body including the tail.there is a longitudinal silver stripe running through it. The abdomen is lighter in color, usually yellow, orange orpinkish. With age, the color of newts becomes lighter.
In aquariums all over the world you can find endemic Japanese look- fire-bellied, or (Cynops orientalis). Representatives of this species can grow up to 10 cm. They are distinguished by their brightly coloredbelly: in males - fiery red, in females - orange.
They lead a predominantly aquatic lifestyle,They can go to land for a short period.
Tailed amphibians are interesting objects for observation, in addition, they are distinguished by their endurance andunpretentiousness.
Newts are kept in horizontal terrariums. One triton needs a volume of 40-60 liters, withfilling approximately 20 cm deep. For a pair of animals, the volume and filling of the aquarium, respectively,doubles while maintaining a depth of 20 cm. Dry land is not necessary, but periodically newts crawl out to dry andrest, so floating foam rafts should be provided. The soil in an aquarium with newts is notis required, but coarse rocky soil can be used, the main thing is that individual fractions cannot beswallowed by newt.
Newts are cold-blooded (poikilothermic) animals, therefore, they are highly dependent on temperatureenvironment. IN natural conditions the optimal temperature for newts is 15-20°C, so whenWhen kept at home, this parameter must be carefully controlled. This especially applies tosummer period, when room temperature can rise to 25-27°C, therefore there isthe need to cool the water in the terrarium.
Aeration in the aquarium is not necessary, since newts do not use oxygen dissolved in water. To breathe, they float to the surface and swallow air from the surface of the water. But we should not forget that newts move very well on vertical surfaces and can climb out of an aquarium that is not covered with a lid.
All newts are quite clean and slightly pollute the water in the aquarium. Therefore, for water purificationYou don’t need a powerful external filter; you can get by with an internal one. Not for regular replacementsuse boiled or filtered water, only settled.
Feeding newts is also not particularly difficult. The diet of these amphibians is quite varied.It is advisable to feed newts with live food or imitate live prey, for example using tweezers.
Newts eat readily raw fish, liver, seafood, insects (crickets, cockroaches, Mayweed larvaebeetle), earthworms.Fatty foods (fat, skin) should be avoided, which can lead to obesity. Must be removed promptlyremaining uneaten food from the aquarium.
Dry or frozen gammarus, as well as bloodworms canUse only as a dietary supplement. Periodically, newts need to be given vitamin and mineral supplements. additives.
Newts are very fertile and breed well in captivity. Fertilization in these amphibians is internal.
A pregnant female must be placed in a separate aquarium with a large amount of live or artificialvegetation. This will help the small newts that hatch from eggs after 20 - 30 days to hide and grow.
Amphibians are born not fully formed and only after 3 months they take on the appearance of an adult newt. Behindper year, one female with normal feeding and maintenance can make from 2 to 4 clutches. In nature enemiesThe larvae of newts and salamanders are fish.
The common newt is one of the smallest newts. The skin is smooth or fine-grained. Distinguishes between red, blue-green and yellow colors. A dark longitudinal stripe passes through the eye. The tail is slightly shorter, equal to or slightly longer than the body and head. An adult newt molts once a week. The male's body is covered with large dark spots (all year round), which are absent in females. During the breeding season, the male grows a crest - an additional respiratory organ. The ridge is richly supplied with blood vessels, which significantly increases the proportion of skin respiration. The newt's crest is solid, with weak curves at the top, with an orange border and a blue stripe running underneath. The female does not develop a crest. The acquired experience is used throughout life. The sense of smell is well developed.
Color: the back is olive-brown, the underbody is yellow with small dark spots. There are longitudinal dark stripes along the head. The common newt can change color - becoming darker and lighter.
Size: 8-12 cm.
Lifespan: in captivity 20-28 years.
- Habitat and food
In spring and during the breeding season, the common newt lives in shallow standing water bodies with rich vegetation (pH 5.6-7.8) of deciduous and mixed forests. It stays at a depth of 5-50 cm. After breeding, it moves to moist shady forests in forest floor. Sometimes found at a distance of up to 300 m from the nearest body of water. Does not live in overgrown swamps with low oxygen levels and lack of open water.
Enemies: snakes, vipers, storks, ducks, herons, crested newt, frogs, spadefoot moths, water voles, smooth-footed bugs, fish, swimming beetle larvae and dragonflies.
Food: in water, the common newt preys on mosquito larvae, small crustaceans, mollusks, insects, larvae grass frog, sometimes tadpoles of toads, eggs of fish, shrimp, aquatic snails. On the ground, it eats earthworms, centipedes, beetles, butterflies, caterpillars, oribatid mites, spiders and other invertebrates. The newt's stomach, while it lives in water, is 70-90% full, and on land - 65%.
- Behavior
The newt leaves the water in midsummer. On the shore it leads a nocturnal lifestyle. Doesn't like light, sun and can't stand heat. During the day it hides in the forest floor, under stumps, dead wood, stones, woodpiles, etc. Sometimes in such places several individuals can be found at once. Avoids large open spaces. During daylight hours it can be seen only in rainy weather or during the breeding season (when it migrates to water bodies). In water, the newt is active at any time of the day, floating to the surface of the water for air every 6 minutes. Wintering lasts from October to March. Loses mobility at a temperature of about 0 "C. Overwinters in the burrows of voles and moles, in heaps of fallen leaves, cellars and basements, sometimes accumulating up to several hundred individuals together. Usually the distance from the reservoir to the wintering site does not exceed 50-100 m.
- Reproduction
Reproduction in the common newt begins with the search for a suitable body of water. A large shallow reservoir with rich vegetation (standing or low-flow lakes, ponds, quarries, oxbow lakes, streams) located in clearings, forest edges or among bushes is suitable for this purpose. The water in the reservoir should warm up to +6 "C, after which mating games begin in the newts. In males, in addition to the crest, lobed edges appear on the fingers. They, like the crests, are abundantly supplied with capillaries, and also serve to improve skin respiration in water The male common newt lays spermatophores, which the female picks up with her cloaca. Fertilization is internal. After mating games female newts spawn alone. Each female can lay 60-700 eggs, attaching them individually to the leaves of underwater plants. The process of laying eggs lasts from several days to three weeks (depending on the water temperature). Eggs are laid at a depth of 5-35 cm, sometimes deeper.
Breeding period: March-June.
Puberty: 2-3 years of life.
Courtship ritual: a male waits for a female in a pond. When a female appears, he approaches her, swims close, touches her muzzle, and sniffs her. Having made sure that there is a female in front of him, the male begins his dance. He moves forward and, finding himself in front of the female’s muzzle, makes a stance. For about ten seconds, the male stands on the bottom upside down, raising his body high and leaning only on his front paws. This is followed by a jerk, the male’s head remains almost in the same place where it was, the body lowers, the tail bends strongly and pushes the water directly onto the female. The male newt takes a break, and then, standing opposite the female, bends his tail and quickly hits himself with it. Then he stands, and the tip of his tail curls. The female begins to slowly walk forward, the male follows her.
Incubation: 14-20 days.
Offspring: newborn larvae measuring 6-8 millimeters. The color is light, almost uniform, with rounded light spots on the sides, the back is yellowish or light reddish-yellow. They have a clearly defined tail, which is surrounded by a fin fold, have the rudiments of the forelimbs and feathery external gills. The first days of life, newt larvae breathe through gills, and by the end of the larval period they switch to pulmonary breathing. The gills disappear during metamorphosis. There are no suckers, and on the sides of the head there are glandular outgrowths - balancers, which quickly disappear. The rudiments of the hind limbs appear on the 20th day of life. The development of larvae lasts 2-3 months. During the first hours, the larvae are inactive. By the end of the first day of life, they have a mouth opening, and on the second day the mouth breaks through, and the larvae begin to actively feed. Complete metamorphosis occurs after 60-70 days. The length of young newts when reaching land is 3-4 cm, at which point their gills and fin fold disappear.
Both larvae and adult newts destroy mosquitoes, including malaria ones.