Newt

A newt is a semi-aquatic amphibian belonging to the salamander family Salamandridae. Newts are known for their unique life cycle, which often includes three distinct stages: a larval stage in the water, a terrestrial "eft" stage, and a return to the water as an adult. 🦎

Newts have a slender body, a long tail, and four limbs. Unlike many salamanders, newts have rougher, more warty skin. Their coloration can vary widely, but they are often brightly colored, with shades of green, brown, or red. They also have a unique ability to regenerate lost limbs, tails, and even parts of their eyes.

Newts live in or near freshwater habitats such as ponds, lakes, and streams. They lay their eggs in the water, where the larvae develop with gills. Once they mature, some species enter a terrestrial juvenile stage called an eft. Efts have lungs and live on land for several years before returning to the water to become an adult newt, which then breathes with both lungs and its skin. They are carnivores, feeding on insects, worms, and other small invertebrates.