Photo by Dave Huth. CC BY 2.0
Latin Name: Notophthalmus viridescens
Species: Amphibian
Conservation Status: S4-5 - Secure
While often confused with lizards because of their body shape and long tail, newts and salamanders are amphibians and lack the scaly skin and claws seen on lizards. Newts are distinguished from other salamanders by their rough skin. The subspecies of eastern newt found around the Port Royal Sound is the central newt (Notophthalmus viridescens louisianensis). This newt reaches 4 inches long. Their back varies in color from green to yellow to brown but the abdomen is yellow.
Range & Habitat (map)
Eastern newts are found throughout the eastern U.S., reaching as far west as central Texas and as far north as parts of Canada. The central newt subspecies is found from the Lake Superior region down to eastern Texas, and east to southern South Carolina. Newts live in ponds or streams, typically in forested areas.
Diet
Newts have a broad diet that includes worms, leeches, insects, mollusks, crustaceans, young amphibians, and frog eggs.
Life History
Newts are aquatic for most of their life but sometimes go through a land stage. A newt in this stage is known as an eft. Efts will remain on land for 1-3 years after transforming from the aquatic larvae, and then return to the water as aquatic adults. If the eft stage is omitted, as it often is for the central newt, the larvae transform directly into the adult and may still have remnants of external gills.
Significance
Amphibians like newts can be important indicators of the health of their environment because of their permeable skin. Their skin absorbs oxygen and water, also making them vulnerable to toxins in the environment. If an area becomes polluted, amphibians are often some of the first animals to be impacted.
Threats & How You Can Help
While eastern newt populations are stable in South Carolina, the most significant threats their populations face are pollution and habitat degradation because they spend the majority of their lives in the water.