What newt?

[Africa]

While watching frogs mating I noticed the newts have returned. I managed to get a few shots but they are shy and they were taken from quite a distance. Two were actually courting, with the male following the female and waving its tail in front of her. Are they smooth newts?

[Hedge Witch]

Hi Africa, I cannot seem to click on the images to enlarge them

[Africa]

Sorry, I hope it works now...

[marvin]

hi

they look like smooth newts to me. the male on it's own is more obvious.

cheers
tim

[Bullseye]

They are Palmate Newts. I've now got dozens of them in my pond,males seem to outnumber females about 5 to 1 at the moment.
Was watching them yesterday and the females were eating individual eggs of the frogspawn,but theres so much frogspawn that it wont do any real damage.Be interesting to see if they start snaffling up the tadpoles when they "hatch".
Last Spring there was a lot of overwintered newt taddies in the pond,this year hav'nt seen any ?.
No two years are the same.

[marvin]

hmm...the male seems to have a small crest which continues down the tail where it is clearly 'wavy'. i have only seen this in smooth newts and never in palmates .

cheers
tim

[diggleken]

Originally Posted by marvin

hmm...the male seems to have a small crest which continues down the tail where it is clearly 'wavy'. i have only seen this in smooth newts and never in palmates .

cheers
tim

Both types are so close without clearer pictures - look for black whips at the end of male palmates tails and the male hind legs with clear palms - but the best method is probably the under throat orangeness, missing on palmates.
palmates also are more likely on more acid upland areas, but there are lots of examples of mixing!

Cheers
ken

[marvin]

[quote=but there are lots of examples of mixing![/QUOTE]

hi ken

i get both types in my small garden pond and usually have no difficulty telling them apart, especially males. they are pretty close though aren't they. in fact i have heard of smooths and palmates hybridising.

tim

[diggleken]

Originally Posted by marvin

hi ken

i get both types in my small garden pond and usually have no difficulty telling them apart, especially males. they are pretty close though aren't they. in fact i have heard of smooths and palmates hybridising.

tim

Hi Tim, thats interesting, not heard of that - I just meant habitat!
How about palmooth newts or smalmates?
K.

[marvin]

Originally Posted by diggleken

Hi Tim, thats interesting, not heard of that - I just meant habitat!
How about palmooth newts or smalmates?
K.

perhaps the newt in the picture is a palmooth

tim