Amphibians · Caudata · Salamandridae

Eastern Newt

Notophthalmus viridescens

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

It goes through one of the most complex metamorphoses in the animal kingdom, with three distinct life stages, among them a bright orange juvenile land stage known as the red eft. Its skin produces tetrodotoxin.

Weight

5 g – 11 g

Size

6 cm – 13 cm

Lifespan

13 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

Easy

Temperate forestFreshwaterCarnivore Nocturnal Solitary Amphibian Temperate forest Freshwater

2countries 29parks 4dive sites13same family

Fun facts

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

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (amphibian)
Habitat & environment: Small freshwater lakes, ponds and streams of eastern North America, with a juvenile land stage in nearby woodland
Birth weight: Larva 1.27 cm on hatching
Size at birth: 1.27 cm long on hatching as an aquatic larva
Sexual maturity: 3 years
Gestation / incubation: 1-2 months for the egg to hatch (3-5 weeks according to another source)
Litter / clutch size: 200 to 400 eggs a season, laid singly on submerged vegetation

Sources consulted: Dimensions.com; iNaturalist; NHPBS NatureWorks; Animal Diversity Web; USGS Species Profile; Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency; The Animal Facts; Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department; Wikipedia (Eastern newt)