Difference Between Newts and Salamanders

As a adorable little pets that you can have around the home, newts and salamanders are two specific types of amphibians and they do have a variety of differences. Although you might assume that they are from the same family, they offer different characteristics, genes, and heritages.

What Are Newts?

Newts are part of the Salamandridae family and they are quite diverse as out of every 3 salamandridae that are born, 2 of them will be newts. These creatures love living both in the water and on ground which is how they receive their title of amphibian. There are 4 limbs that are well developed and are equal in size and webbed, they also enjoy using their tail to help them swim long distances as if it were their paddle. With a head like a frog and real teeth, they also have dry and wart-ridden skin that is unexpected because they spend a lot of time in the water.

One of the most interesting qualities of a newt is the fact that they can regenerate limbs ranging from their heart to their eyes. In fact, some species can grow up to 18 new pieces of their body in their entire life. With their high levels of toxicity, they are relatively immune against most of their predators.

What Are Salamanders?

Instead of a dry and wart-ridden appearance, salamanders are soft and moist. There are approximately 500 difference species of salamanders ranging from Sirens to Giant Salamanders. Unlike newts, these creatures do not resemble a frog in the slightest, instead they are more similar in appearance to serpents. Depending on the species, they can be entirely terrestrial, aquatic, or both. Another interesting fact is that some types of salamanders can be as small as 2.7 centimeters whereas others may grow to be larger than 2 meters. They also can be found in a variety of different colors.

Similar to newts, salamanders can regenerate their body parts though not as impressively as their counterpart. Usually you can expect this species to regenerate their limbs, tail, or other small areas of their body. In order to help against predators, they also have toxins that are released when they are threatened.

From the ability to regenerate limbs to their living environments, newts and salamanders are two distinct species of amphibian that you can find in the world. With varying sizes, colors, skin types, and food preferences, there are many differences between the two.

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