Eastern Newt

The eastern newt (Notophthalmus viridescens) is a common newt of eastern North America. Eastern newts dwell in small lakes, ponds, and streams or near-by wet forests. They can coexist in an aquatic environment with small, non-carnivorous fish, however, their skin secretes a poisonous substance when the newt is threatened or injured. They have a lifespan of 12 to 15 years in the wild, and may grow to 5 inches in length. The newts are a common aquarium pet, being either collected from the wild or purchased. The strikingly colored (orange) juvenile stage, which is land-dwelling, is often known as the red eft. Some sources blend the general name of the species and the red-spotted newt sub-species name into eastern red-spotted newt (although there is no "western" one).