Fun Smooth Newt Facts For Kids

The smooth newt is a newt and salamander species native to the continents of Europe and Asia, also known as Eurasia. It is one of the most commonly observed newt species in the Eurasian region. The places it is found include Ireland, Great Britain, Ukraine, Russia, France, and Italy. The smooth newt is also an introduced species in places like Australia. Smooth newts like to live in lowlands, inhabiting terrestrial as well as aquatic habitats such as damp meadows, parks, burrows, field edges, lakes, and garden ponds. These amphibians have smooth skin in aquatic habitats and velvety, dry skin when they are on land. The overall coloration of smooth newts is brown. Smooth newts live for 6-14 years in the wild and are often seen in congregations with other newt species. These amphibians are known to perform elaborate mating displays in the breeding summer too. According to the IUCN Red List, the smooth newt salamander has a Least Concern conservation status.For more relatable content, check out these newt facts and hellbender salamander facts for kids.

What do they prey on? Invertebrates, earthworms, insects, snails, plankton, and eggs of their own species

What do they eat? Carnivore

Average litter size? 100-300 eggs

How much do they weigh? 0.01-0.2 oz (0.3-5.2 g)

How long are they? 3.1-4.3 in (8-11 cm)

How tall are they? N/A

What do they look like? Yellow-brown, olive-brown, black, orange, and white

Skin Type Velvety or smooth skin

What were their main threats? Humans, Fish, Water Birds

What is their conservation status? Least Concern

Where you’ll find them? Lowlands, Wooded Areas, Damp Meadows, Parks, Edges, Garden, Ponds, Under Stones, Logs, And In Mammal Burrows

Locations Europe And Asia

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Lissotriton

Class Amphibia

Family Salamandridae

Smooth Newt Interesting FactsWhat type of animal is a smooth newt?The smooth newt (Lissotriton vulgaris or Triturus vulgaris) is a newt (salamander).What class of animal does a smooth newt belong to?The smooth newt (Lissotriton vulgaris or Triturus vulgaris) belongs to the Amphibia class of animals.How many smooth newts are there in the world?The total population of smooth newts in the world is not known, since they are spread over a wide range and are common within this distribution.Where does a smooth newt live?The smooth newt (Lissotriton vulgaris) is said to be one of the most common and widely distributed species. The most widespread subspecies is L. v. vulgaris, the nominate subspecies, that has a distribution range from Ireland and Great Britain to Siberia and northern Kazakhstan towards the east. In the north, its distribution range extends to central Fennoscandia and towards the south, it extends to central France, the central Balkans, the dry Eurasian steppe in Russia and Ukraine, and northern Italy. The L. v. ampelensis is only found in Ukraine’s Carpathian mountains and northern Romania’s Danube delta. The L. v. meridionalis subspecies exists in the northern part of Italy and also in Slovenia, Croatia, and southern Switzerland.In the Carpathian mountains, smooth newts prefer to inhabit low elevations. Also, the L. v. vulgaris subspecies was introduced to Australia as a pet and was classified as a pest by 1997. Within Europe, the L. v. meridionalis subspecies was introduced to the northside of the Geneva Alps.What is a smooth newt’s habitat?The smooth newt habitat mostly consists of lowlands. They are rarely found above elevations of 3,300 ft (1,005.8 m). They can be found in aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Smooth newts are seen in wooded areas but avoid dense coniferous woods. Open areas like field edges, damp meadows, gardens, ponds, and parks are preferred. They also readily adapt to urban environments and are known to hide under stones, logs, and burrows made by small mammals.Smooth newts breed in freshwater habitats that are close to their land habitats. These newts like to be exposed to the sun, away from fish, in stagnant water, permanently water-filled bodies, and for up to three months. They like living close to water bodies that also have many water plants and shallow places. Small puddles, shallow parts in lakes, and larger garden ponds are some of the places smooth newts are frequently seen near.Smooth newts do not care about the quality of water with pH ranging from 4-9.6. They are even known to inhabit slightly brackish waters in places like Germany.Who does the smooth newt live with?Smooth newts are nocturnal and are known to hibernate on land in congregations with other newts under logs or in burrows. These are their winter shelters.Breeding sites are often shared by smooth newts with other newts such as palmate newts, alpine newts, marbled newts, and northern crested newts (great crested newts).How long does a smooth newt live?A smooth newt lives for 6-14 years in the wild. It lives for four to eight years in captivity usually but may live to be 20 years old with the proper care.How do they reproduce?Smooth newts migrate to the breeding grounds in the month of February. They may not migrate until summer begins in the northern reaches of their range and in higher altitudes. The breeding characteristics such as the wavy crest along the back and tail that males develop may take some weeks after entering the water.The mating process in the breeding season involves courtship displays. A male newt will try to attract a certain female newt by smelling her cloaca or swimming in her view. The tail of the male vibrates against his body, rarely lashing violently. This is to fan pheromones in her direction. In the final phase of the mating and breeding season display, the male draws away from the female with his tail still quivering. If the female is interested, she follows the male and touches his cloaca with the snout. The male, at this point, will deposit his spermatophore (packet of sperm) and guide the female over this spermatophore so she can pick it up via her cloaca. Male smooth newts often lead females away from other males who are displaying.The fertilization of the eggs happens internally and one female’s progeny has many fathers. The female mates preferentially with males that are not related to them to avoid inbreeding depressions.Towards the conclusion of the breeding season summer, 100-300 eggs are laid by the females. The eggs are folded into water plants. The eggs are gray to greenish to light brown in color. The smooth newt larvae hatch from the eggs 10-20 days after being laid and this depends on the temperature around them. The smooth newt larvae metamorphose into ’efts’ that live on land after three months.What is their conservation status?The conservation status for the smooth newt species according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature is Least Concern.Smooth Newt Fun FactsWhat does the smooth newt look like?Adult male smooth newts are slightly bigger than the females. The bodyweight of adults is known to decrease in the breeding season. The width of the head is smaller than the length. There are two to three longitudinal grooves present on the top and the long snout is rounded in females and blunt in males. The skin of the smooth newts is velvety and water-repellant when they are in the terrestrial habitats and become smooth when they are in the water. The skin also contains toxins and mucous glands and the upper layer gets shed regularly.When not in the breeding season, male and female newts are colored brown, olive-brown, or yellow-brown. The male smooth newt has round, black spots, and the female has noticeably smaller spots that look like irregular lines that run along the back. The male also has an orange stripe on the underside of the tail and the belly and the throat of the male are white to orange with small, rounded, and black spots. These black spots are lighter and smaller on the female. The coloration and size of smooth newts may vary with their environment. The newts that live in the northern range are smaller. Leucism and albinism have also been seen in smooth newts.The males develop vivid and brighter coloration during the breeding season as well as a wavy crest along the back and tail.How cute are they?They are rather plain-looking animals, but the smooth newt size is adorably small. The small limbs and toes, the aware eyes, and the irregular lines on the back add cuteness to its appearance.How do they communicate?Smooth newts are able to recognize familiar territories using visual and smell cues. They do not have this ability when outside their home range. Smooth newts also perform mating displays during the breeding summer season.How big is a smooth newt?Smooth newts are 3.1-4.3 in (8-11 cm), making them two to three times smaller than fire salamanders.How fast can a smooth newt run?The exact running speed of smooth newts is not known, but they are known to be slow animals.How much does a smooth newt weigh?A smooth newt weighs 0.01-0.2 oz (0.3-5.2 g).What are the male and female names of the species?Males and females of the smooth newt species do not have specific names.What would you call a baby smooth newt?Smooth newt babies may be called tadpoles, larvae, efts, or hatchlings. They can be called nymphs too, being a salamander species.What do they eat?Smooth newts are predators of invertebrates, earthworms, insects, snails, plankton, and eggs of their own species.Their own predators include waterbirds, frogs, snakes, fish, northern crested newt, other newts.Are they dangerous?Like other newts, the smooth newt is known to secrete toxins on its skin, but this doesn’t make them very harmful to touch. These toxins can be dangerous if someone were to eat a smooth newt. Human touch may prove more harmful to the delicate skin of smooth newts.Would they make a good pet?Smooth newts have been known to be kept as pets previously but they are not any more. Providing smooth newt care is not easy. They should be left alone in their native habitats. They are also protected in many territories.In Great Britain, smooth newts are protected. It is completely illegal to trade or sell a smooth newt. In Northern Ireland, smooth newts are also protected against capturing, injuring, killing, disturbance, trade, or possession.Did you know…Newt babies are generally called tadpoles.The palmate newt is also found in a habitat and range distribution similar to the smooth newt. This is why the palmate newt is often seen in congregations with the smooth newt. The underside of the palmate newt is unspotted in contrast to that of the smooth newt. The palmate newt also has a smooth crest compared to the wavy crest in some other newts.Are smooth newts poisonous?Smooth newts do have toxic glands on their skin, but these amphibians are only harmful if you were to consume smooth newts.Do smooth newts bite?No, smooth newts are not prone to biting.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other amphibians from our great crested newt fun facts and common newt fun facts for kids pages.You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable emerald lizard coloring pages.Photo by Thomas Brown

What type of animal is a smooth newt?

The smooth newt (Lissotriton vulgaris or Triturus vulgaris) is a newt (salamander).

Fun Smooth Newt Facts For Kids

What do they prey on? Invertebrates, earthworms, insects, snails, plankton, and eggs of their own species

What do they eat? Carnivore

Average litter size? 100-300 eggs

How much do they weigh? 0.01-0.2 oz (0.3-5.2 g)

How long are they? 3.1-4.3 in (8-11 cm)

How tall are they? N/A

What do they look like? Yellow-brown, olive-brown, black, orange, and white

Skin Type Velvety or smooth skin

What were their main threats? Humans, Fish, Water Birds

What is their conservation status? Least Concern

Where you’ll find them? Lowlands, Wooded Areas, Damp Meadows, Parks, Edges, Garden, Ponds, Under Stones, Logs, And In Mammal Burrows

Locations Europe And Asia

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Lissotriton

Class Amphibia

Family Salamandridae

Fun Smooth Newt Facts For Kids

What do they prey on? Invertebrates, earthworms, insects, snails, plankton, and eggs of their own species

What do they eat? Carnivore

Average litter size? 100-300 eggs

How much do they weigh? 0.01-0.2 oz (0.3-5.2 g)

How long are they? 3.1-4.3 in (8-11 cm)

How tall are they? N/A

What do they look like? Yellow-brown, olive-brown, black, orange, and white

Skin Type Velvety or smooth skin

What were their main threats? Humans, Fish, Water Birds

What is their conservation status? Least Concern

Where you’ll find them? Lowlands, Wooded Areas, Damp Meadows, Parks, Edges, Garden, Ponds, Under Stones, Logs, And In Mammal Burrows

Locations Europe And Asia

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Lissotriton

Class Amphibia

Family Salamandridae

Fun Smooth Newt Facts For Kids

What do they prey on? Invertebrates, earthworms, insects, snails, plankton, and eggs of their own species

What do they eat? Carnivore

Average litter size? 100-300 eggs

How much do they weigh? 0.01-0.2 oz (0.3-5.2 g)

How long are they? 3.1-4.3 in (8-11 cm)

How tall are they? N/A

What do they look like? Yellow-brown, olive-brown, black, orange, and white

Skin Type Velvety or smooth skin

What were their main threats? Humans, Fish, Water Birds

What is their conservation status? Least Concern

Where you’ll find them? Lowlands, Wooded Areas, Damp Meadows, Parks, Edges, Garden, Ponds, Under Stones, Logs, And In Mammal Burrows

Locations Europe And Asia

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Lissotriton

Class Amphibia

Family Salamandridae