Mystery Newt

angwilliams1852 · #1 (**permalink**) 24-04-2009, 07:36 PM

I have quite a few of the common newts in my garden pond, dark brownish on top, pale yellowish bellys and spotted but I seem to have a mystery newcomer.

It is yellow/lime green all over .. devoid of any markings and stays relatively close to the surface. It is smaller than the others by a couple of centimetres.

It seems a bit early for it to be a 'baby' newt.

Any guesses anyone?

Ang

marvin · #2 (**permalink**) 24-04-2009, 08:33 PM

it could still be a smooth newt...they can vary in colour etc. a picture would be really helpful if you can get one.

cheers
tim

angwilliams1852 · #3 (**permalink**) 24-04-2009, 08:42 PM

Thanks Tim, if I could find my camera I would take one ... hopefully tomorrow the camera will come to light ...

Africa · #4 (**permalink**) 24-04-2009, 08:46 PM

Could it be a female? Males are bigger (also because of the crests on tail and top of body) and more clearly marked.

angwilliams1852 · #5 (**permalink**) 24-04-2009, 09:55 PM

I dont think so Africa ... thing is I am a bit new to all this pond watching but I have been watching lots of what I take to be a lot of canoodling ... lots of tale waggling, chasing each other round the edge and so on between the 'ordinary' newts ... as you say, one is a bit bigger than the other.

However, my little stranger is significantly smaller than the courting couples and ... not sure how to explain this, but doesn't seem to have distinguishable feet? Not sure if that makes sense ... the ordinary ones have wopping great big three or four ... four I think, toed feet, whereas my stranger has relatively undeveloped legs but legs all the same that just taper off into points.

Perhaps it isn't a newt at all? As I say, this is all new to me and prior to this year, I just about recognised a frog!

I'll try to get an image of it this weekend.

Ang