Any ideas?????
- Thread starter Buckshot
- Start date
Uhuh, palmate newt 
They're quite happy in damp conditions and only really return to water to breed.
http://www.wildlifetrust.org.uk/urbanwt/WIS_pages/Newts.htm
I've got them in my garden ponds.....lifting plant pots has to be done carefully and the cat has learned to leave them alone
Cheers,
Toddy
They're quite happy in damp conditions and only really return to water to breed.http://www.wildlifetrust.org.uk/urbanwt/WIS_pages/Newts.htm
I've got them in my garden ponds.....lifting plant pots has to be done carefully
and the cat has learned to leave them alone Cheers,
Toddy
Just a thought but this, may be a female smooth (or common newt).
Palmates tend to have less of the olive with little fingerprint marks down the sides, although do have the velvity appearance which this one appears to have (kinda used to having them in my hand to tell though)
Im afraid the guides linked to are not really very accurate. The way to be sure however is by the size at breeding (palmates are smaller) or to find a male in the breeding colours, palmates have 'gloved' back feet and a tail filament and common do have a crest - not to be confused with cresties though.
Alternatively if you look under her neck you will either see a pale bluish vein (very pale) as the skin here does not have much pigment on the palmate, the smooth with just be pale but certainly no blue sheen
Palmates tend to have less of the olive with little fingerprint marks down the sides, although do have the velvity appearance which this one appears to have (kinda used to having them in my hand to tell though)
Im afraid the guides linked to are not really very accurate. The way to be sure however is by the size at breeding (palmates are smaller) or to find a male in the breeding colours, palmates have 'gloved' back feet and a tail filament and common do have a crest - not to be confused with cresties though.
Alternatively if you look under her neck you will either see a pale bluish vein (very pale) as the skin here does not have much pigment on the palmate, the smooth with just be pale but certainly no blue sheen
I'd agree with badgeringtim, this is likely a Smooth Newt.
Smooth and Palmate Newt can be tricky to tell apart in non-breeding 'plumage' as this one is.
In such dress, Smooth has more distinct markings on the underbelly and particularly the throat than Palmate (often shows an unmarked throat) and Palmate tends to show some webbing between the hind-toes which Smooth lacks.
Scrubbity
Smooth and Palmate Newt can be tricky to tell apart in non-breeding 'plumage' as this one is.
In such dress, Smooth has more distinct markings on the underbelly and particularly the throat than Palmate (often shows an unmarked throat) and Palmate tends to show some webbing between the hind-toes which Smooth lacks.
Scrubbity
Only the male Palmate has the webbing on the rear feet and the little whisp at the end of the tail, so this could be a female Palmate.
We can't see the throat, but one indication that it would be a smooth newt is if it's spotted. Palmate newts do not have a spotted throat.
We can't see the throat, but one indication that it would be a smooth newt is if it's spotted. Palmate newts do not have a spotted throat.
Bushwacker -
At the risk of being petty - smooths dont always have a spotted throat either. although they do always have pigment in this area, which is why you cannot se the vein through it. Often the pigment is very pale.
The whisp is a tail filment - and the big 'gloves' on the back feet are principally evident in breeding form -ie it is a secondary sexual charactoristic. But quite so - only in the males
As a point of interest smooth males can also get very fringed back feet if they are in excelent condition and this can look similar - but with the crest wouldnt be confused, interesting though i thought.
At the risk of being petty - smooths dont always have a spotted throat either. although they do always have pigment in this area, which is why you cannot se the vein through it. Often the pigment is very pale.
The whisp is a tail filment - and the big 'gloves' on the back feet are principally evident in breeding form -ie it is a secondary sexual charactoristic. But quite so - only in the males
As a point of interest smooth males can also get very fringed back feet if they are in excelent condition and this can look similar - but with the crest wouldnt be confused, interesting though i thought.
