Amphibians · Caudata · Salamandridae

Marbled Newt

Triturus marmoratus

Least Concern

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

Its striking marbled green and black pattern gives it its name, and in the breeding season the male grows a smooth dorsal crest with a distinctive black and white banding.

Size

13 cm – 17 cm

Lifespan

16 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

MountainFreshwaterCarnivore Nocturnal Solitary Vulnerable Amphibian Mountain Freshwater

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Fun facts

It is the largest newt of its genus in Europe.
It eats aquatic insect larvae, worms, small crustaceans and occasionally the eggs or larvae of other amphibians.
It lives in mountain and wooded country of the Iberian Peninsula and France, breeding in temporary ponds.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (amphibian)
Habitat & environment: Mountain and wooded country of the Iberian Peninsula and France, with temporary ponds for breeding
Birth weight: An egg of ~2 mm that swells to 4 mm
Size at birth: An egg ~2 mm across
Sexual maturity: 3 years
Litter / clutch size: 200 to 400 eggs per female, laid singly and stuck to water plants
Lifespan in captivity: Documented record of up to 25 years

Sources consulted: Salamanderland; Infoanimales; AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); Wikipedia (Marbled newt); Inside Ecology; Grokipedia (Marbled newt)