Peatland wildlife

The smooth newt (Triturus vulgaris)

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The smooth newt (Triturus vulgaris)

Description

The smooth newt is typically 80-110mm long, including its tail, and is often mistaken for a lizard. However, unlike lizards, newts have smooth, moist skin, four digits on their front feet and breed in water. Like frogs their skin tones vary from olive green to a deep, dark brown. They are covered in dark spots, which are larger on the male. Both sexes have a slight orange color on their belly, which becomes very bright on the male during the breeding season. To prepare for courtship the male also develops a crest along his back and tail to improve his chances of attracting a mate.

Behaviour

Like all amphibians, smooth newts prefer to live in moist environments and depend on bodies of water for breeding. Peatlands are therefore an ideal habitat for this species.

Newts are delicate looking creatures, which betrays their hunting prowess. They use sight and smell to detect their prey. Their adult diet includes pond snails, tadpoles, worms and insects, with their offspring feeding on the large blooms of water fleas which develop as the temperature rises.

Breeding

Courtship takes place between March and June when the adults make their way towards the nearest pond. The males put on elaborate courtship displays before a female selects them. The male releases several sacks of sperm, which the female takes up to fertilise her eggs. The female then lays these eggs singly under the leaves of aquatic plants, curling the leaves around the sticky egg to conceal it.

The eggs develop into newtlets. The newtlets have gills and develop legs within a few weeks. The rate of growth depends on the availability of food, but when they are around 40mm long the young are capable of leaving the water and absorbing oxygen through their skin.

Status and Protection in Northern Ireland

The status of newt populations depends on the availability of suitable habitat, especially breeding areas such as peatlands. In Northern Ireland the smooth newt is protected under Schedule 5 of the Wildlife Order, making it an offence to kill, injure, capture or disturb them. The common newt is also listed on Schedule 7 of the Wildlife Order, which means they cannot be sold alive or dead at any time.