The red-bellied newt (Taricha rivularis ) is a newt that is native to coastal woodlands in northern California and is terrestrial for most of its life.
Te
TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
Oviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
R
starts withWhen full grown, the red-bellied newt measures between 2.75 to 3.5 in (70 to 89 mm) from its nose to its vent, and between 5.5 and 7.5 in (140 and 190 mm) from its nose to its tail. It has grainy skin, and is brownish-black on top with a tomato-red underbelly. The male red-bellied newt often has a dark, broad coloring across the vent, while females do not. Breeding males develop smooth skin and a flattened tail. The red-bellied newt can be distinguished from other coastal newts by its red belly and a lack of yellow in its eyes.
The red-bellied newt is found in California along the coast from Bodega in Sonoma County, inland to Lower Lake, and north to Honeydew, Humboldt County. It lives in coastal woodlands, especially in redwood forests. There is a disjunct population 130 kilometres (81 mi) south of Sonoma County in the upper watershed of Stevens Creek in the Santa Cruz Mountains that is genetically identical to the Sonoma County population.
