The red-bellied newt (''Taricha rivularis'') is a
newt
A newt is a salamander in the subfamily Pleurodelinae. The terrestrial juvenile phase is called an eft. Unlike other members of the family Salamandridae, newts are semiaquatic, alternating between aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Not all aqua ...
that is native to coastal woodlands in northern
California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
and is terrestrial for most of its life.
Description
When full grown, the red-bellied newt measures between from its nose to its
vent
Vent or vents may refer to:
Science and technology Biology
*Vent, the cloaca region of an animal
* Vent DNA polymerase, a thermostable DNA polymerase
Geology
*Hydrothermal vent, a fissure in a planet's surface from which geothermally heated wate ...
, and between from its nose to its tail. It has grainy skin, and is brownish-black on top with a tomato-red underbelly.
[Californiaherps.co]
''Taricha rivularis – Red-bellied Newt''
californiaherps.com The male red-bellied newt often has a dark, broad coloring across the vent, while females do not.
Breeding males develop smooth skin and a flattened tail. The red-bellied newt can be distinguished from other coastal newts by its red belly and a lack of yellow in its eyes.
Distribution and habitat
The red-bellied newt is found in
California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
along the
coast
The coast, also known as the coastline or seashore, is defined as the area where land meets the ocean, or as a line that forms the boundary between the land and the coastline. The Earth has around of coastline. Coasts are important zones in ...
from
Bodega in Sonoma County, inland to Lower Lake, and north to Honeydew,
Humboldt County.
[Stebbins, Robert C.; ''Amphibians and Reptiles of California''; University of California Press, Berkeley, 1972 p. 52] It lives in coastal woodlands, especially in
redwood forests.
[ There is a disjunct population south of Sonoma County in the upper watershed of Stevens Creek in the Santa Cruz Mountains that is genetically identical to the Sonoma County population.
]
Reproduction and ecology
Newts begin their lives as aquatic larvae similar to tadpoles, though elongated and with external gills. Once newt larvae mature into their adult form, which takes about four to six months, they will leave the water and live underground until they are ready to breed, which is typically in four to six years. Red-bellied newts can live for 20-30 years.
After reaching reproductive maturity, male red-bellied newts start congregating at stream banks as early as January or February. One to three weeks later, the females join them and the newts mate. Red-bellied newts lay their eggs in fast-flowing streams or rocky rivers. The females lay their eggs in about 12 streamlined clusters with six to 16 eggs each,[Red-bellied Newt (''Taricha rivularis'')](_blank)
enature.com and the eggs are typically attached to the bottoms of rocks, or on branches and roots leaning into the stream.[Stebbins, Robert C.; ''Amphibians and Reptiles of California''; University of California Press, Berkeley, 1972 p. 52] When the adults leave the stream, instead of moving directly uphill, they move at an angle that leads them somewhat upstream. The females, unlike the males, do not breed every year.[Taricha (Gray, 1850) Western Newts, Pacific Newts](_blank)
livingunderworld.com
Homing
Red-bellied newts have a remarkable homing ability. They make great efforts to always go back to the same spot on the stream. They find their way over several miles of rugged terrain
Terrain or relief (also topographical relief) involves the vertical and horizontal dimensions of land surface. The term bathymetry is used to describe underwater relief, while hypsometry studies terrain relative to sea level. The Latin wo ...
to get back to the spot. Likely, smell is responsible for the homing ability.
Defense
Red-bellied newts have a brownish-black topside to avoid being noticed. When that fails, and they are seen and disturbed, they pull their heads and tails back to reveal their bright-red undersides.[ This serves as a warning to potential predators, as red-bellied newts have enough of a neurotoxin, ]tetrodotoxin
Tetrodotoxin (TTX) is a potent neurotoxin. Its name derives from Tetraodontiformes, an order that includes pufferfish, porcupinefish, ocean sunfish, and triggerfish; several of these species carry the toxin. Although tetrodotoxin was discovere ...
, in their skin, eggs, and embryos to potentially kill an adult human,[Taricha (Gray, 1850) Western Newts, Pacific Newts](_blank)
livingunderworld.com or 1,200 to 2,500 mice. Because red-bellied newts are so poisonous, they are nearly inedible and have no reported predators other a few species of snake which are resistant to the toxin. Like other newts, red-bellied newts have the ability to regenerate several body parts, including their limb
Limb may refer to:
Science and technology
*Limb (anatomy), an appendage of a human or animal
*Limb, a large or main branch of a tree
*Limb, in astronomy, the curved edge of the apparent disk of a celestial body, e.g. lunar limb
*Limb, in botany, ...
s, eyes, heart
The heart is a muscular organ in most animals. This organ pumps blood through the blood vessels of the circulatory system. The pumped blood carries oxygen and nutrients to the body, while carrying metabolic waste such as carbon dioxide to t ...
s, intestines, upper and lower jaw
The jaw is any opposable articulated structure at the entrance of the mouth, typically used for grasping and manipulating food. The term ''jaws'' is also broadly applied to the whole of the structures constituting the vault of the mouth and serv ...
s, and damaged spinal cord
The spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular structure made up of nervous tissue, which extends from the medulla oblongata in the brainstem to the lumbar region of the vertebral column (backbone). The backbone encloses the central canal of the sp ...
s.[Shannon Odelberg]
Research
bioscience.utah.edu
References
External links
*http://www.californiaherps.com/salamanders/pages/t.rivularis.html
Range map
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2275994
Newts
Amphibians of the United States
Newt
A newt is a salamander in the subfamily Pleurodelinae. The terrestrial juvenile phase is called an eft. Unlike other members of the family Salamandridae, newts are semiaquatic, alternating between aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Not all aqua ...
Endangered fauna of California
Natural history of the California Coast Ranges
Amphibians described in 1935