Species group · Amphibians

Newts

WAnimals has 10 species of newt, all in the family Salamandridae.

10 species
1 family
63 countries
167 parks
Weight
1 g – 3 kg
Length
5 cm – 20 cm
Lifespan
8 – 25 years

Ranges calculated from the entries that record the figure, not from all 10.

All 10 species of newts on WAnimals

Each one has its own full entry. This group does not replace them: it brings them together.

Conservation status

7 Least Concern3 Near Threatened

No species documented in this group is genuinely at risk according to the IUCN, with the data available today.

See the global conservation status

Where they live

Recorded in 63 countries. The ones with the most species in the group:

Where to see them

Did you know…

  • The male grows a dorsal crest and vivid colours in the breeding season.

    From Alpine Newt

  • The female wraps each egg individually in the leaves of water plants.

    From Alpine Newt

  • It has established stable introduced populations in the United Kingdom and New Zealand.

    From Alpine Newt

  • It goes through a strikingly coloured juvenile land stage, the eft, before returning to the water as a breeding adult.

    From Eastern Newt

  • It eats aquatic invertebrates, tadpoles and even small newts.

    From Great Crested Newt

  • It is the largest newt in Great Britain, living in large fish-free ponds.

    From Great Crested Newt

  • Its skin produces a milky, acrid secretion that works as a chemical defence against predators.

    From Great Crested Newt

  • Its ribs can pierce its skin: like other newts of its group, when squeezed it pushes the tips of its ribs out through the glandular tubercles on its flanks, which are loaded with toxins, turning them into poisoned needles.

    From Crocodile Newt

Ecosystems

See every species group · Explore the species one by one