Kingdom Animalia Class Amphibia Family Salamandridae Rank Species | Phylum Chordata Order Caudata Genus Notophthalmus | |
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Scientific name Notophthalmus meridionalis Similar Striped newt, Notophthalmus, Dayang newt, Kurdistan spotted newt, Wanggao warty newt | ||
Black spotted newt courtship
The black-spotted newt or Texas newt, Notophthalmus meridionalis, is a species of aquatic newt native to northeastern Mexico and southern Texas in the United States.
Contents
Black spotted newt
Description
The black-spotted newt grow to 2.9-4.3 in (7.1–11 cm) long, and is typically an olive green in color, with numerous black spots. The underside is often yellow in color, which can sometimes extend up to the sides. They have smooth skin, and a paddle-shaped, vertically flattened tail. They live in quiet stretches of streams and permanent and temporary ponds and ditches.
Behavior
Black-spotted newts prefer shallow-water habitats, heavy with vegetation. During the dry season, they are believed to burrow underground or remain under debris. They are carnivorous, consuming a wide variety of prey, including insects, aquatic invertebrates, leeches, and other amphibians. Their toxic skin secretions are used to deter predators. Breeding occurs year round. The life history of this species is not well known and the presence of an eft stage has yet to be determined.
Range
N. meridionalis can be found in the states of Tamaulipas, Veracruz, and San Luis Potosí in Mexico, barely extending into northeastern Hidalgo and Puebla. It is also found in southern Texas along the Gulf of Mexico.
Conservation
The black-spotted newt is listed as a threatened species in Texas.
