Eastern newt

Notophthalmus viridescens

The eastern newt is a small Nearctic salamander that uses both forest and freshwater habitats. It is a solitary nocturnal carnivore.

Key facts

Eastern newt (Notophthalmus viridescens) is a carnivore animal classified as Amphibian · Caudata · Salamandridae.
Primary habitats are forest · freshwater, with a range across Nearctic.
Activity is nocturnal, sociality is solitary, and conservation status is LC (Least Concern).
The eastern newt is a small Nearctic salamander that uses both forest and freshwater habitats.
It lives around ponds, wetlands, lake margins, and surrounding forest.
Typical lifespan: 4-15 years

Habitat range map

Native rangeOccasional / Transient

Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)

It lives around ponds, wetlands, lake margins, and surrounding forest. Different life stages use aquatic and damp terrestrial habitats.

Length is about 6-12 cm and weight about 2-10 g. Color changes with life stage, from greenish adults to bright orange terrestrial juveniles.

It is nocturnal and solitary. In water it swims with its tail, while on land it moves slowly beneath leaf litter.

It is carnivorous, eating small aquatic invertebrates, insects, larvae, and similar prey. Diet shifts with habitat and life stage.

Breeding occurs in water, where females attach eggs to aquatic plants or debris. Larvae develop in water and may later move onto land.

Its conservation status is LC. Connected forest and wetland habitat supports the full life cycle.