Rough-Skinned Newt

Fascinating facts about the Rough-Skinned Newt

• A stocky newt with rounded snout, it ranges from light brown to olive or brownish-black on top, with the underside, including the head, legs, and tail, a contrasting orange to yellow. They measure 6 to 9 cm (2.4 to 3.5 in) in snout-to-vent length, and 11 to 18 cm (4.3 to 7.1 in) overall.
• The newt produces a neurotoxin called tetrodotoxin (TTX), which in this species was formerly called "tarichatoxin". Because TTX is much larger than a sodium ion, it acts like a cork in a bottle and prevents the flow of sodium. The reverse binding to sodium channels in nerve cells blocks electrical signals necessary for conducting nerve impulses, causing paralysis and death by asphyxiation. In 1979, a 29-year-old man from Oregon died after ingesting a rough-skinned newt, showing that a single animal can carry enough toxin to kill a human.
• Throughout much of the newt's range, the common garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis) has been observed to exhibit resistance to the tetrodotoxin produced in the newt's skin. The relationship between the rough-skinned newt and the common garter snake is considered an example of co-evolution, an evolutionary arms race where each side escalates its defenses. As a result, some newts secrete enough toxin to kill several adult humans, while the snake's resistance has evolved independently at least twice within the genus, showing how predator-prey dynamics can drive extreme biochemical adaptations.
• Rough-skinned newts are found throughout the Pacific Northwest, their range extending south to Santa Cruz, California, and north to Alaska. Within this range they occupy elevations from sea-level up to 2743 m (9000 ft) and can live both on land and in water. In the water they prefer still habitats, and aggregations of adults have been discovered as deep as 12 meters underwater.
• Little is known about the longevity of T. granulosa, but marked specimens have been recaptured after 17-18 years, indicating a relatively long lifespan for a small amphibian. Adults reach sexual maturity at 4 to 5 years of age, and each egg is encased in a gelatinous capsule about 3 to 4 mm in diameter, laid singly on vegetation.

Sources

Every fact above was checked against these pages, and kept only where one of them states it.

• Wikipedia
• Animal Diversity Web

At a glance

About the Rough-Skinned Newt

In the damp, emerald forests of the Pacific Northwest, the Rough-Skinned Newt embarks on a solitary journey, its mottled brown skin blending seamlessly with the moss-covered terrain as it navigates the intricate network of streams and ponds with a slow, deliberate gait. With eyes that shine like polished onyx, this enigmatic creature moves through the world with a quiet confidence, its toxic secretions a potent defense against predators that would seek to do it harm. As it pauses to survey its surroundings, the newt's rough, warty skin seems to glow with a soft, earthy light, a testament to its remarkable adaptability in this misty, mystical realm.

Seen on screen

More amphibians to discover

Browse Feravox