| type | Status | Habitat |
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AMPHIBIANS |
SOME ENDANGEED |
ALL CONTINENT |
 newts live in small bodies of freshwater (ponds, small lakes, ditches, and marshes), usually with mud bottoms. |
 tend to eat slow-moving, soft-bodied creatures such as earthworms, slugs, and snails. |
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Most newt are small, and few species are more than 6 inches (15 centimeters) long. Sirens have only two legs, but the other salamander species develop four legs as adults, with fleshy toes at the end of each foot. Some species, like paddle-tail newts, have fully webbed feet with very short toes for their aquatic lifestyle. Those that like to dig and are less aquatic, such as the tiger salamander, have no webbing at all on their feet.
Would you want to eat something that tasted awful or hurt your mouth? Probably not! newt have some special ways to keep from becoming a predator's next meal. Most newt, such as the red-spotted newt, have brightly colored, poisonous skin. The bold color tells predators that the newt is not safe to eat. Many newt have glands on the back of the neck or on the tail. These glands can secrete a poisonous or bad-tasting liquid. Some newt can even shed their tail during an attack and grow a new one later.
Most newt hatch from eggs. Female newt that live entirely in the water lay more eggs (up to 450) than those that spend some time on land. The California newt lays a clump of 7 to 30 eggs on underwater plants or exposed roots. The eggs are protected by a toxic, gel-like membrane. Lungless newt such as the spiny salamander are devoted parents that share egg-guarding duties. They curl their body around the eggs and turn them over from time to time. This protects the eggs from predators and fungal infections.