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Eastern Newt (Adult) - Notophthalmus viridescens This was awful!<br /> <br /> I was sitting next to a cluster of flowers hoping to see some pollinators when I noticed this salamander posing on a rock, just out of the water. After a couple minutes, I realized something was wrong, so I got closer. Its skin was so dry that it was shiny and felt like wax paper. I wasn&#039;t sure it was alive until I saw something (which I thought was its leg) start to move near the nape of its neck. Looking even closer, I saw that the moving object was a leech! It was feasting on the salamander. I decided to pull the leech off, but dropped the salamander by accident into the water and was shocked when it recovered and swam off...leech still attached.<br /> <br /> I wonder if the salamander&#039;s odd behavior was because of the leech. It must have been perched on that rock or awhile in order to dry out so much. Hopefully it can scrape the leech off somehow.<br /> <br /> Habitat: Woodland pond<br /> <figure class="photo"><a href="https://www.jungledragon.com/image/113598/eastern_newt_adult_-_notophthalmus_viridescens.html" title="Eastern Newt (Adult) - Notophthalmus viridescens"><img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.jungledragon.com/images/3232/113598_thumb.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=05GMT0V3GWVNE7GGM1R2&Expires=1759968010&Signature=RwzHlUnkFfGtEv8swFFlotsSf8s%3D" width="200" height="142" alt="Eastern Newt (Adult) - Notophthalmus viridescens This was awful! <br /> <br /> I was sitting next to a cluster of flowers hoping to see some pollinators when I noticed this salamander posing on a rock, just out of the water. After a couple minutes, I realized something was wrong, so I got closer. Its skin was so dry that it was shiny and felt like wax paper. I wasn&#039;t sure it was alive until I saw something (which I thought was its leg) start to move near the nape of its neck. Looking even closer, I saw that the moving object was a leech! It was feasting on the salamander. I decided to pull the leech off, but dropped the salamander by accident into the water and was shocked when it recovered and swam off...leech still attached.<br /> <br /> I wonder if the salamander&#039;s odd behavior was because of the leech. It must have been perched on that rock or awhile in order to dry out so much. Hopefully it can scrape the leech off somehow. <br /> <br /> Habitat: Woodland pond<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/113597/eastern_newt_adult_-_notophthalmus_viridescens.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/113596/eastern_newt_adult_with_leech_-_notophthalmus_viridescens.html Eastern newt,Geotagged,Notophthalmus,Notophthalmus viridescens,Spring,United States,newt,salamander" /></a></figure><br /> <figure class="photo"><a href="https://www.jungledragon.com/image/113596/eastern_newt_adult_with_leech_-_notophthalmus_viridescens.html" title="Eastern Newt (Adult) with Leech - Notophthalmus viridescens"><img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.jungledragon.com/images/3232/113596_thumb.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=05GMT0V3GWVNE7GGM1R2&Expires=1759968010&Signature=kSy0Vn41ekmxlgvYM8NsTTtIxFE%3D" width="200" height="158" alt="Eastern Newt (Adult) with Leech - Notophthalmus viridescens This was awful!<br /> <br /> I was sitting next to a cluster of flowers hoping to see some pollinators when I noticed this salamander posing on a rock, just out of the water. After a couple minutes, I realized something was wrong, so I got closer. Its skin was so dry that it was shiny and felt like wax paper. I wasn&#039;t sure it was alive until I saw something (which I thought was its leg) start to move near the nape of its neck. Looking even closer, I saw that the moving object was a leech! It was feasting on the salamander. I decided to pull the leech off, but dropped the salamander by accident into the water and was shocked when it recovered and swam off...leech still attached.<br /> <br /> I wonder if the salamander&#039;s odd behavior was because of the leech. It must have been perched on that rock or awhile in order to dry out so much. Hopefully it can scrape the leech off somehow.<br /> <br /> Habitat: Woodland pond<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/113598/eastern_newt_adult_-_notophthalmus_viridescens.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/113597/eastern_newt_adult_-_notophthalmus_viridescens.html Eastern newt,Geotagged,Notophthalmus viridescens,Spring,United States" /></a></figure> Eastern newt,Geotagged,Notophthalmus viridescens,Spring,United States Click/tap to enlarge Promoted

Eastern Newt (Adult) - Notophthalmus viridescens

This was awful!

I was sitting next to a cluster of flowers hoping to see some pollinators when I noticed this salamander posing on a rock, just out of the water. After a couple minutes, I realized something was wrong, so I got closer. Its skin was so dry that it was shiny and felt like wax paper. I wasn't sure it was alive until I saw something (which I thought was its leg) start to move near the nape of its neck. Looking even closer, I saw that the moving object was a leech! It was feasting on the salamander. I decided to pull the leech off, but dropped the salamander by accident into the water and was shocked when it recovered and swam off...leech still attached.

I wonder if the salamander's odd behavior was because of the leech. It must have been perched on that rock or awhile in order to dry out so much. Hopefully it can scrape the leech off somehow.

Habitat: Woodland pond

Eastern Newt (Adult) - Notophthalmus viridescens This was awful! <br /> <br /> I was sitting next to a cluster of flowers hoping to see some pollinators when I noticed this salamander posing on a rock, just out of the water. After a couple minutes, I realized something was wrong, so I got closer. Its skin was so dry that it was shiny and felt like wax paper. I wasn't sure it was alive until I saw something (which I thought was its leg) start to move near the nape of its neck. Looking even closer, I saw that the moving object was a leech! It was feasting on the salamander. I decided to pull the leech off, but dropped the salamander by accident into the water and was shocked when it recovered and swam off...leech still attached.<br /> <br /> I wonder if the salamander's odd behavior was because of the leech. It must have been perched on that rock or awhile in order to dry out so much. Hopefully it can scrape the leech off somehow. <br /> <br /> Habitat: Woodland pond<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/113597/eastern_newt_adult_-_notophthalmus_viridescens.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/113596/eastern_newt_adult_with_leech_-_notophthalmus_viridescens.html Eastern newt,Geotagged,Notophthalmus,Notophthalmus viridescens,Spring,United States,newt,salamander

Eastern Newt (Adult) with Leech - Notophthalmus viridescens This was awful!<br /> <br /> I was sitting next to a cluster of flowers hoping to see some pollinators when I noticed this salamander posing on a rock, just out of the water. After a couple minutes, I realized something was wrong, so I got closer. Its skin was so dry that it was shiny and felt like wax paper. I wasn't sure it was alive until I saw something (which I thought was its leg) start to move near the nape of its neck. Looking even closer, I saw that the moving object was a leech! It was feasting on the salamander. I decided to pull the leech off, but dropped the salamander by accident into the water and was shocked when it recovered and swam off...leech still attached.<br /> <br /> I wonder if the salamander's odd behavior was because of the leech. It must have been perched on that rock or awhile in order to dry out so much. Hopefully it can scrape the leech off somehow.<br /> <br /> Habitat: Woodland pond<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/113598/eastern_newt_adult_-_notophthalmus_viridescens.html<br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/113597/eastern_newt_adult_-_notophthalmus_viridescens.html Eastern newt,Geotagged,Notophthalmus viridescens,Spring,United States

    comments (2)

  1. View Ferdy Christant's profile
    Ferdy Christant
    Lion
    View Lion class
    Let's hope/imagine it was just basking in the sun! Posted 4 years ago
    1. View Christine Young's profile
      Christine Young
      Lion
      View Lion class
      That was what I assumed at first. Reality wasn't as kind. Posted 4 years ago

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The Eastern newt

The eastern newt or red-spotted newt is a common salamander of eastern North America. Eastern newts dwell in wet forests with small lakes or ponds. 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.

Info 79 1
Similar species: Salamanders
Species identified by Christine Young
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By Christine Young

All rights reserved
Uploaded Apr 24, 2021. Captured Apr 23, 2021 12:39 in 281 Main St S, Woodbury, CT 06798, USA.
country flag of United States of America Explore United States of America 39,925 9,640 8
  • Canon EOS 90D
  • f/16.0
  • 1/197s
  • ISO250
  • 100mm