Newt Vs. Salamander: Do the Differences Lay in the “Witches’ Brew”?
*Newt Vs. Salamander? Graphic. © World Atlas.
Salamanders and newts are oftentimes one of the lesser known and thought about groups of reptiles or amphibians, and this could largely be owing to their relatively small sizes and mostly secretive nature, often being found under or within moist or humid forest, or ground floor leaf litter, rocks, logs, or other debris. They, for the most part, also do not make any calls or sounds, as do most frogs and toads as well. These amphibians belong to the clade, or order Caudata (or Urodela, depending on one’s taxonomic preferences, which, as with every form of taxonomy, has been debatable); however, for the purposes of this article, “caudates” has been somewhat of a largely “catch-all” term used among conservationists, herpetoculturists, scientists, and other fields of science and research to make reference to all salamanders and newts.
Indeed, the term “caudate”, or “caudata” refers to the “tailed” amphibians, with “caudal” meaning tail. Most salamanders and newts are somewhat similar in form to many small lizards, usually having four well defined legs or limbs, elongated bodies, and lengthened tails. However, as with all other amphibians, salamanders are in fact, not lizards or reptiles at all, having smooth, moist, permeable skin without scales, which typically require these amphibians to live amongst wet, moist, and humid microhabitats, and a multi-stage lifecycle, beginning from eggs laid in the water, or in moist areas, and hatching out or emerging as larval forms, which undergo transformation into adult salamanders, just as tadpoles generally do in becoming adult frogs or toads.
But what actually are the differences between “salamanders” and “newts”? Do newts actually have the ability to give humans medicinal or supernatural powers when boiled in a stew or in other purposes by witches, as some forms of storytelling and folklore would often tell us? Or are there other, more scientific and biological distinctions between the two groups? In this article, we will cover the most well-defining characteristics which distinguish newts from salamanders, although, as should be stated by now, there are many exceptions to any given rule of thumb to keep in mind.
With all of this mentioned and out of the way, here are some common differences between most species of salamanders and most newt species!
*Different Newt Species Found Throughout the World. © Etsy.com
Taxonomic and Classification Differences:
-Taxonomy and classification, as with many commonly confused groups of organisms, are perhaps the best means we currently have of sorting and distinguishing salamanders from newts, or vice versa. All species of newts, generally found in temperate to sub-tropical environments of North America, Europe, Northern Africa, and Asia, belong to the order of “true” salamanders, Salamandridae, or also sometimes referred to in the subfamily Pleurodelinae, consisting of more than one hundred known species. In essence, all newts are technically “salamanders”, but not all salamanders are “newts”.
*Eastern Newt “Eft” (Notophthalmus viridescens). © Paul J. Fusco.
-The old English name for “newt” is “efte”, or “efeta”, which is of unknown origin, resulting from the Middle English word “eft”. As will be described below, an “Eft” is an intermediate, juvenile or sub-adult stage of newts which adopts more terrestrial features and habits, and which are not seen in other groups of “salamanders”. Other, different English dialects also use the word “ask” in regards to both lizards and “newts”, while Latin terminology utilized the word “stellio” for “spotted newt”.
-Many other countries or areas of the world also have their own meanings, or derivations of the word. Ancient Greek language used the word “κορδύλος”, presumably meaning “water newt”, and German used “Molch”, of unknown origin as wlel. Newts in Roman literature are also known as “Tritones”, after the mythical God of the Sea, which also form their derivative meaning for several European and Asian genera of Newts, such as Triturus (or the crested and marbled newts), meaning “Triton-Tail”.
*Fire Salamander (Salamandra salamandra). © Unboxing Diseases.eu.
-Likewise, “Salamander” is the Greek word for “fire lizard”, which may have stemmed from the erroneous belief that salamanders retreating from within firewood when burned were originating from the fire rather than simply the wood.
Morphological and Natural History Differences:
-One of the best known differences between “newts” and “salamanders” is the presence of one or more additional, intermediate life stages following their metamorphosis from larval forms, and before reaching fully mature adult forms. Most species of newts in the subfamily Pleurodelinae have what is known as an “Eft” stage, which are juvenile to sub-adult, intermittent life stages characterized by their rougher textured skin, and more terrestrial habits and lifestyles. Most newts within this subfamily also have the ability to change, or alternate between their aquatic and terrestrial forms as adults as well, depending on the seasonality, and local environmental conditions which either prohibit or encourage adaptations found in one of these forms or the other. Other groups of salamanders do not have an Eft stage associated with newts.
*Left, Axolotl, or Mexican Salamander (Ambystoma mexicanum). A Neotenic or Paedomorphic Aquatic Salamander © I.G. Bride.
*Right, Greater Siren (Siren lacertina). © That Pet Place Blogs.
-However, not all groups or species of aquatic salamanders are “newts”, and there are several other unusual genera which exhibit Neotony, or Paedomorphic characteristics. These characteristics essentially mean that the juvenile larval forms and features, such as large, bushy, or feathery gills for oxygen exchange and respiration, finned tails, and smoother skin are retained as their adult stages for whichever localized environmental phenomena occurs. Some genera, such as Sirens and Amphiumas of the southeastern United States, are also elongated, and possess reduced or absent forelimbs or hind limbs as well.
*Diagram of a Salamander Costal Grooves and Folds (and Nasiolabial Grooves located on the Head, not indicated). © Illinois Natural History Survey.
-“True newts” also possess several other morphological differences and features which most other salamanders do not have. As mentioned previously, one difference is that members of the family Salamandridae generally have rougher, or more granular skin. They also lack Rib, or Costal Grooves along their mid-bodies, which many other “salamanders” do have. Many “true” newts also possess moveable eye-lids, and lack Nasiolabial Grooves between their eyes and nostrils, both of which are unlike most other salamanders.
*Paratoid Glands on a Northwestern Salamander (Ambystoma gracile). © Nonindigenous Aquatic Species-USGS.gov.
-Many newts also possess toxin-secreting glands on their necks, behind their heads, or elsewhere along their bodies known as Paratoid Glands. These glands oftentimes can produce a strong and distasteful, or even poisonous and toxic secretions to any potential would be predators. Some genera of newts, as a result, possess among the strongest, or most potent toxins among terrestrial vertebrate animals, known as Tetrodotoxins. Most other salamanders do not possess these large or noticeable glands, although some can, and most can still produce moist, and sometimes distasteful skin secretions through much tinier pores in their bodies than newts.
Other, Less Reliable Differences:
-Color and pattern are sometimes mentioned in distinguishing newts from salamanders, with “newts” being said to be more vibrantly colored to signify actual or potential toxicity, than salamanders. However, color and pattern are much less reliable and consistent differences, as there are bright and vibrantly colored examples of both newt and salamander species.
-Unlike some other commonly confused groups of amphibians or reptiles, there are generally not any major geographic differences between newts and salamanders, as many examples of both can be found within the same geographic areas or regions among many areas of the world, oftentimes in association with one another in terms of breeding and reproductive environments. It is generally the English dialect which may differ in usage in different areas of the world in what may be called a “salamander” or a “newt”.
-The number of toes located on the front and hind feet, or limbs can often be a useful identification tool for identifying more specific genera and/or species of salamanders and newts. However, there is much species variation in the number and placement of toes, and thus this is generally not a reliable difference between newts and salamanders.
-Both salamanders and newts have cells within their bodies possessing the ability to Undifferentiate, or otherwise are capable of rapid reproduction, and then Re-Differentiate in order to create new limbs or organs which may have otherwise been lost or damaged. Several different theories and hypothesis exist into the origins and characteristics of these cells involved in this natural phenomenon.
*Left, Rough and Granular Skin of a California Newt (Taricha torosa). © Critter Science.
*Right, Smooth and Moister Skin of a Blue Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma laterale). © George Cevera.