Common name: Palmate Newt
Also known as: Newt
Scientific name: Lissotriton helveticus
Size: Up to 6cm
Colour: Olive green or brown. Yellow or pale orange belly with some spotting. Males have spotting on back and a low, smooth crest along their back, which becomes higher on the tail, ending in a tread like filament during breeding time.
Description
The UK's other small brown newt. They are often confused with the slightly larger Smooth Newt.
Distribution
Found throughout the UK.
Diet
Small insects in and out of water.
Habitat
Sometimes found in garden ponds between February and June. Likes shallow ponds on acid soil, so often found on heathland. They can withstand a lack of water, and are sometimes found a long way from land, often hiding in damp places under logs.
Did you know
Palmate Newts have a tadpole stage like a frog.
A new newt is called a eft.
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