[FIELD NOTE] Rough-Skinned Newt

The days seem to be flying by over here and I find myself getting behind on this journal and my written version. I try to get us out for an adventure daily (weather permitting) and it seems that every outing results in some kind of cool find.

This week, me and my girl decided to visit a favourite trail that we haven't been to for awhile. It's not a long nor busy walk, but is an excellent example of our lush rainforests. Headwaters Trail never disappoints - in the fall, it's filled with the most amazing mushroom specimens, spring has huge skunk cabbage and frog eggs, and in the summer, you can find beautiful Sundews if you know where to look.

[ABOVE] SKUNK CABBAGE [BELOW] YUP...IT SMELLS LIKE SKUNK!

On this rainy morning, Chloe and I decided to bring with us a critter container and a large bag to collect fungus for the fairy houses we've been making. Chloe was determined to catch a salamander and after overturning every log and searching under the dead leaves in areas that we felt a salamander may want to hide, she finally found the cutest little Rough-Skinned Newt. She was so happy!

We have brought him/her home to be our class pet for awhile and have been having lots of fun watching it swim through the water and hide in a little cave we created or climb up onto the soft moss. Chloe decided she wanted to learn everything there is to know about these cool (and very poisonous) amphibians before we let it go back to where we found it. 

Here's some cool facts about the Rough-Skinned Newt.

Description

Rough-skinned Newts are heavy-bodied and have granular skin that is relatively dry compared to other salamanders. They are brown to olive green on top with a bright yellow or orange belly. This species lacks the costal grooves that are present on most other Canadian salamanders and the tail is laterally compressed near the end with a prominent ridge. The rear legs of breeding males are enlarged. Aquatic larvae have feathery gills behind the head, legs (both front and back) and a tail fin and are tan to brown with two rows of yellow spots along the sides. Rough-skinned Newts can grow up to 22 cm in total length, though most individuals are much smaller than this.

Similar Species
Rough-skinned Newts are the only salamanders in B.C. that lack costal groves and have dry, granular skin and a bright yellow belly.

Distribution

In Canada, Rough-skinned Newts occur throughout the West Coast of British Columbia. Its range extends along the West Coast from southern Alaska to central California.

Habitat

Rough-skinned Newts breed in wetlands, ponds, pools, sloughs, slow streams and other shallow aquatic habitats, and the larvae live in these aquatic habitats. Adults and juveniles primarily inhabit forested areas within close proximity to these breeding sites, although adults spend extended periods of time in aquatic habitat during the spring and some individuals spend their entire life in the water. Logs, rocks and other cover objects provide important microhabitats for terrestrial adults and juveniles. In large bodies of water that are permanent, newts often spend the winter in the water and may remain active through much of the winter. Individuals that inhabit shallow or seasonal wetlands hibernate in terrestrial habitats in underground cavities or under cover such as rotting logs.

Biology

Rough-skinned Newts migrate to their breeding sites on warm, rainy nights in the spring. Females lay eggs singly throughout the breeding habitat, which they attach to aquatic vegetation or submerged leaves. The eggs hatch in three to four weeks and the larvae undergo metamorphosis into terrestrial juveniles in the late summer or the summer of the following year. Individuals reach sexual maturity after four to five years and the can live for over 12 years. Adult and juvenile newts prey on a variety of aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates, such as insects, slugs, small crustaceans and worms, as well as amphibian eggs and larvae. Larvae forage for protozoans, larval insects and small crustaceans, while terrestrial newts forage for invertebrates on the forest floor. Rough-skinned newts are the most poisonous amphibian in B.C. They produce a powerful neurotoxin, which is a very effective defence against bird and mammalian predators. When threatened, individuals will raise the head and the tail, showing off the bright yellow bellow as a warning of their toxicity.

Threats

The destruction of forest and wetland habitats is the primary threat to this species in Canada, especially in area where human population densities are high. However, this species is widespread and remains abundant throughout most of its range. Pollution, such as herbicides, agricultural effluent and road salt can be detrimental to newts since toxins are easily absorbed though their skin. Climate change and introduced pathogens pose potentially serious future threats to Canadian salamanders.

Source: Canadian Herpetological Society