Newt identification please

empond · #1 (**permalink**) 07-04-2009, 08:05 AM

Yesterday, whilst clearing my pond of leavers, I found this newt - can anyone tell me the species please?
It had a orange/black spotty line along its underside that I could see - I didn't turn it over completely for fear of upsetting it.
Thank you to anyone who can help; I would also be very grateful if anyone could recommend a good book on UK amphibians / pond wildlife.

LAF · #2 (**permalink**) 07-04-2009, 12:34 PM

If you're in the UK that can only be a great-crested newt as it's far too large for any of our other species.

It's a nationally rare species so it would be good to submit an official Recording.

Great find!

marvin · #3 (**permalink**) 07-04-2009, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LAF

If you're in the UK that can only be a great-crested newt as it's far too large for any of our other species

hi

depends on how big the hands are

. it's a female and full of eggs but, imho, difficult to id the sps from the pic.

tim

empond · #4 (**permalink**) 07-04-2009, 01:53 PM

Thank you for the replies - the picture could be a little misleading as it is my daughter holding the newt; it means the newt was about 10 - 11 cm long.
It didn't have very 'warty' skin although it wasn't completely smooth - I've uploaded a couple more photos although I'm not sure they'll help much.

I also saw two other newts swimming about this morning - these were far paler, spottier and smaller.

coasty · #5 (**permalink**) 07-04-2009, 02:24 PM

looks like a smooth newt to me,,,,

treecreeper · #6 (**permalink**) 07-04-2009, 03:02 PM

Almost certainly a smooth newt. Definitely not a crested.

Madelinew · #7 (**permalink**) 07-04-2009, 06:10 PM

Definitely not crested! If it was then my pond is teeming with them and I'd be a very excited pond owner. I have loads and loads of the boring old common kind. They're not boring at all really even though they have completely wrecked all my frog spawn.

empond · #8 (**permalink**) 07-04-2009, 06:48 PM

Thank you again - I didn't think it really could be crested, it was just that it was so dark so I started wondering! Everything I read suggested common newts are much paler (and I have some paler ones too in my pond). Also, in the Gallery there is a photo of a great crested newt looking very similar to the one I found.
Can anyone suggest a good book - I'd love to learn more about newts and amphibians generally.

treecreeper · #9 (**permalink**) 07-04-2009, 07:14 PM

Shire Natural History publishes 24 page booklets on natural history subjects. Short, but they pack a lot of information and are well illustrated. The one on newts is called Newts of the British Isles by Patrick J. Wisniewski. It's excellent. You may also be interested in Frogs and Toads by Trevor Beebee, published by Whittet Books. This has a chapter on newts but it's mainly frogs and toads of course.