Striped newt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Striped newt |
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| Example from Osceola County, Florida | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Notophthalmus
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| Species: |
perstriatus
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The striped newt (scientific name: Notophthalmus perstriatus) is a type of salamander that lives in water. You can find it in the southeastern part of the United States. It's related to the eastern newt, and they sometimes live in the same areas.
You can tell a striped newt apart by the red stripes along its back. It also has red spots that do not have a black outline.
What They Look Like
A full-grown striped newt is about 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm) long. Their color can be yellow-green, olive green, or even black-brown. They have bright red or orange stripes running down their back. Their belly is yellow with black spots.
When they are young, called larvae, they live in water. They are tan, green, or brown. They have big, feathery gills on the outside of their bodies. Their tail fin is large and has dark spots.
Some young newts go through a land stage called an eft. Efts live on land for several years. They are light brown or orange and still have those red stripes.
Sometimes, newts can stay in their water-living, young form even when they are adults. This is called neoteny. These adults are usually yellow-green to brown. They often do not have the red stripes seen on newts that live on land. This happens a lot in ponds that always have water and no fish.
Where They Live
You can find the striped newt from southern Georgia down into central Florida. They usually live in sandy areas where fires happen naturally. These places include longleaf pine sandhills and scrubby flatwoods. They also live near ponds where they lay their eggs. They breed from late winter through spring.
Threats to Striped Newts
The striped newt is currently listed as "near threatened." This means they could become endangered soon. There is a push to list them as "federally threatened" because their numbers are going down.
Humans have changed how fires happen in these areas. When fires are stopped, thick bushes and hardwood trees grow. These trees take over the grasslands where newts live. This change in their home makes it harder for newts to survive. It can even lead to a situation where the species gets closer to disappearing.
Temporary ponds are very important for newts to lay their eggs. But people sometimes dig ditches, drain, or fill up these ponds. This stops newts from being able to reproduce.
Off-road vehicles also cause problems. They can destroy the plants around these temporary ponds. Newts need these plants to lay their eggs on. If the plants are gone, newts cannot reproduce well.
Long periods of dry weather also make temporary ponds disappear. If ponds are dry for years, newts cannot breed during that time.
Another big problem for striped newts is roads. When newts travel on land, they sometimes cross roads. They can get hit by cars. This is called highway mortality.
Also, groups of newts can become separated from each other. This happens when their homes are broken up by roads or buildings. When groups are isolated, they cannot mix their genes. This can make the newt population less healthy over time.
See also
In Spanish: Tritón rayado para niños
