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Eastern Newt

Eastern Newt

Notophthalmus viridescens

Least Concern

Quick Facts

Kingdom: Animalia
Abundance: Common
Habitat: Forest, Wetland
Activity: Nocturnal (Active at night)
Lifespan: 8-10 years

The Eastern Newt is a common newt of eastern North America found in small lakes, ponds, and streams or nearby wet forests. The eft (juvenile) is reddish-orange in color with two rows of black-bordered red spots. The adult’s skin is a dull olive green with black-rimmed red spots, and a dull yellow belly. As an adult it develops a larger, blade-like tail and characteristically slimy skin.

Diet

Eat mainly midge larva and other aquatic immature stages of insects

Activity Pattern

Nocturnal (Active at night)
Kingdom: Animalia
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Phylum: Chordata
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Class: Amphibia
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Order: Caudata
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Family: Salamandridae
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Genus: Notophthalmus
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Species: Notophthalmus viridescens

Scientific Name

Notophthalmus viridescens
Breeding Season
Late winter-early spring
Lifespan
8-10 years

Behavior

With the aid of its flattened tail, the Eastern Newt moves quickly in water, yet is slow on land. Adult newts spend their lives in water, often foraging both day and night. Winter is spent underground, unless the adults are in permanent water. The eastern newt produces tetrodotoxin, which makes the species unpalatable to predatory fish and crayfish. Eastern newts are able to regenerate their limbs that were lost to an injury.

Ecological Role

Eastern newts are important predators of small invertebrates in the freshwater ecosystems of eastern North America.

Activity Pattern

Nocturnal (Active at night)

Habitat Types

Forest
Wetland

Geographic Distribution

The Eastern Newt is one of only a few species in the Family Salamandridae native to North America. This newt ranges throughout most of eastern North America, from the Canadian Maritime Provinces west to the Great Lakes and south to Texas, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida

Local Abundance

Common

Conservation Status

Least Concern

This species is widespread and abundant. No immediate threat to survival.

Threats & Impacts

Although eastern newts are widespread throughout North America, they, like many other species of amphibians, are increasingly threatened by several factors including habitat fragmentation, climate change, invasive species, over-exploitation, and emergent infectious diseases.

How You Can Help

  • Report sightings to contribute to population monitoring
  • Support habitat conservation efforts
  • Follow guidelines when observing wildlife
No field notes or observations available for this species.

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