Roughskin newts are found on the Pacific coast from southeastern Alaska to just south of the San Francisco Bay, as well as parts of Montana and Idaho. They live in both aquatic habitats and on land.
The life of a roughskin newt
Roughskin newts can grow up to 8.5 inches long and live up to 18 years in the wild, or longer in human care. They are carnivores that eat insects, invertebrates, snails and other amphibians.
Roughskin newts reproduce in the water, usually in still water near aquatic vegetation. Females lay eggs one at a time soon after mating, attaching the eggs to vegetation in the water. The eggs hatch within three to four weeks.
Roughskin newts produce a toxin on their body called tetrodotoxin, which they release through glands on their skin. Tetrodotoxin helps keep away predators. Their only known predator is the garter snake, which is immune to tetrodotoxin. When threatened by predators, the newts bend back their head and curl their tail to expose their bright colored belly as a warning.
Roughskin newts at the zoo
Located in North America section.
