While it may seem unassuming, the California newt might be one of the most underrated amphibians to inhabit the Golden State.
The California newt is also known as the orange-bellied newt, thanks to the bright complexion on the underside of its body. iStock/mguntow
By Mallory Johnson
While it may seem unassuming, the California newt might be one of the most underrated amphibians to inhabit the Golden State. With great survival techniques and a fierce defense mechanism, this tiny creature is a force to be reckoned with.
The California newt, Taricha torosa, is one of five members of the newt family (Salamandridae) that is indigenous to California. There are two subspecies of California newts: coastal range newts and Sierra newts. Sierra newts are typically found in the mountains and boast a thicker skin than their coastal counterparts. Meanwhile, as their name implies, coastal range newts inhabit the coastline, and they have a thinner skin that makes them more adapted to less humid climates.
The California newt is also known as the orange-bellied newt, thanks to the bright complexion on the underside of its body. These newts vary in color, from a light to dark brown hue on their backs, while their undersides are anywhere from pale yellow to orange. Another distinguishing feature of this amphibian is the large eyes that protrude past the edges of its head. Fully-grown newts typically reach between five and seven inches in length.
Newt behavior and physiology is directly related to our rainy season. Newts are aquatic breeders, typically breeding in ponds, reservoirs and streams. Their breeding season lines up with California’s rainy season—usually starting in December and lasting through early May. During this season, they are almost entirely aquatic. This is quite a contrast to their preferred habitat for the rest of the year, which is mostly spent on land in semi-arid conditions.
California newts survive on a diet largely comprised of earthworms, snails, slugs and sowbugs. Their specially adapted tongues are handily equipped with an adhesive texture that helps them catch their prey.
In addition to being well equipped to catch prey, California newts also have an outstanding defense mechanism that leaves them with few natural predators. Newts are equipped with glands in their skin that secretes a potent neurotoxin called tetrodotoxin—a toxin hundreds of times more poisonous than cyanide. In order to ward off potential predators, this newt will arch its head back to expose its orange underbelly to warn attackers to stay away.
If predators decide to attack anyway, the potent tetrodotoxin present in newt skin can cause paralysis, and in some cases even death, to the attacker. One of the few predators of the California newt is the garter snake, a species that has developed a genetic resistance to the newt’s poisonous toxins.
Get an up-close look at these fierce amphibians when you visit Aquarium of the Bay’s new California newt exhibit, featuring an array of coast range newts. Find out more about the animals at Aquarium of the Bay when you visit www.aquariumofthebay.org.
Mallory Johnson is the Communications Manager at Aquarium of the Bay, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting, restoring and inspiring the conservation of San Francisco Bay and its watershed.
