Unique Characteristics of Salamanders & Newts

Salamanders and newts belong to a wide and varied order of amphibians known as caudata, which has over 300 different species. Depending on the species, they can range from less than an inch to over six feet in length. In some ways, salamanders and newts possess unique characteristics when compared to other amphibians such as frogs and toads, as well as to the rest of the animal kingdom.

  1. Physical Characteristics

    • Salamanders and newts stand out from all other amphibians by maintaining a tail at every stage of their development, from larval stage to adulthood. Most species are four-legged and, unlike frogs and toads, their legs are at 90-degree angles from their bodies. The front legs of salamanders grow more rapidly than their rear legs, which is the opposite of how other amphibians' limbs develop. The exception to this rule are sirens, which are salamanders that are eel-like in appearance and have only small front legs and no rear ones.

    Variable Breathing

    • Salamanders and newts have a range of breathing techniques based on their living conditions. Fully aquatic salamanders, such as sirens and mudpuppies, possess gills throughout their lives. Terrestrial species develop lungs once they reach adulthood after having had gills at the larval stage. A third group of salamanders does not have gills or lungs but instead breathes through the skin. Frogs and toads all have lungs as adults, but some also breathe through their skin like the lungless salamanders.

    Breeding Characteristics

    • Some salamander species, unlike most other amphibians that abandon eggs after laying, are devoted parents. Generally, it is the lungless salamanders that share the role of protector between the male and the female. The adult wraps its body around the eggs and sometimes turns them. The fire salamander is the only amphibian to give birth to live young, with all others laying eggs. As protection for the eggs, salamanders also produce a toxic slime that surrounds the eggs to make them unpalatable.

    Defense

    • Like some lizards, salamanders and newts can break off parts of their tails if they need to in order to escape, and the tail will grow back. Unlike lizards, they can also do this with their limbs. If they lose a leg, the limb will regenerate after some time. Most salamander species also produce foul-tasting secretions through their skins to deter predators from eating them. Some of the more colorful species are among the most toxic and use the colors as a warning sign.