Amphibians · Caudata · Salamandridae

Pyrenean Brook Salamander

Calotriton asper

Near Threatened

It could become endangered in the near future if current threats go unchecked. See full glossary

The Pyrenean brook newt is a robust, granular-skinned urodele endemic to the Pyrenees, adapted to cold, fast mountain torrents. Unlike most newts it has no dorsal crest and its tail is laterally compressed, and it can live in water all year round. Fish introduced into the mountain lakes are its main threat.

Size

10 cm – 16 cm

Lifespan

15 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Nocturnal

Active mainly at night.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Moderate

MountainFreshwaterCarnivore Nocturnal Solitary Near Threatened Amphibian Mountain Freshwater

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Fun facts

GeneralIt lives in water below 15°C and its larvae can take two years to develop.
It is a strict Pyrenean endemic: it exists only in the Pyrenees and some pre-Pyrenean ranges of Spain, France and Andorra, and much of its world population is on Spanish soil.
It can spend its whole life in water, which is uncommon among European newts, most of which alternate aquatic and terrestrial phases.
The introduction of trout and other fish into the Pyrenean glacial lakes, many of which naturally held no fish at all, has wiped out its larvae from numerous high-mountain lakes.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (amphibian)
Habitat & environment: Cold torrents and high mountain lakes of the Pyrenees
Size at birth: An aquatic larva with external gills; in cold water metamorphosis can take more than a year
Sexual maturity: 3 years
Gestation / incubation: Larval development in mountain torrents and lakes
Litter / clutch size: 40 eggs

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calotriton_asper