Habitat, Reproduction and Feeding Habits
It lives in ponds, lakes, canals, marshes, forests, pasture or agricultural land, sometimes in acid pools on upland moorland or coastal areas. It spends the breeding season (February to May) in water laying 100 to 300 eggs which hatch into larvae in about 2 to 3 weeks and then metamorphose after a further 6 - 9 weeks. In colder areas the larvae often over-winter in the water and then metamorphose the next year. They become sexually mature in the second year, but neoteny is also known to occur in this species. Adults hibernate on land under logs and stones between November and March, or more rarely in water.
They feed on invertebrates, small crustaceans, planktonic animals, daphnia and also frog tadpoles. They are also known to display cannibalistic tendencies and they can live for up to 10 years.
- Species Palmate Newt
- Lissotriton helveticus helveticus (Northern Germany to northeastern Spain)
- Lissotriton helveticus punctillatus (Sierra de la Demanda area, Spain)
- Lissotriton helveticus alonsoi (North western Iberia)
Read more about this topic: Palmate Newt
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