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Smooth Newt 1


Smooth Newt 1
Photo Information
Copyright: Matthew Johnson (Matt) Silver Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 10 W: 0 N: 15] (47)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2005-08-01
Categories: Amphibians
Camera: Olympus Camedia C-460 Zoom
Exposure: f/5.2, 1/100 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Amphibians - Salamanders & Newts 1 [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2005-10-16 7:50
Viewed: 1423
Points: 8
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Smooth or Common Newt - Triturus vulgaris

In our pond we used to have loads of frogs however a particularly vicious colony of smooth newts have eaten the frog-spawn and mercilessly harassed the tadpoles. After 4 years we now have only one frog left! I don’t mind that much as I really like newts – I just wish they would live more harmoniously!

This is a female smooth newt sitting on a rock next to our pond.

Females have a light brown colouration with darker spots or speckles whereas males are a darker brown with black spots. The throat and belly is lighter than the rest of the body, usually creamy in colour. They are usually around 10-11 cm in length and the males are smaller than females. During the breeding season males develop a wavy crest which is continuous from head to tail and their bellies go bright orange. The female deposits her eggs individually on aquatic plants, carefully wrapping each egg in a leaf.

They emerge from hibernation in March, breed through to May and adult newts leave the water in July although in my pond they often remain in the water into August. They spend the rest of the summer and winter very close to the pond, hiding in leaf litter, long grass and under stones (or under the shed in our case!). Newts hibernate in late September, between July and September they live terrestrially eating insects.
cedryk, touristdidi has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • pat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 87 W: 0 N: 125] (410)
  • [2005-10-16 11:40]

Nice composition, interesting point of view for this harmonious portrait of your home newt ! Thanks for sharing, Patrick

  • Great 
  • puciu Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 519 W: 0 N: 16] (2603)
  • [2005-10-16 15:07]

Cze¶ć. Wspaniałe zdjecie, uchwycona ¶wietna poza i ładnie zlewa sie z kamieniem.
Dobra kompozycja.
robert.

  • Great 
  • cedryk Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 966 W: 52 N: 1694] (5184)
  • [2005-10-21 13:34]

Very nicely composed portrait with good DOF, Matt! I like newts a lot. When I was a child, each spring I kept them in the tank for a week or so - observing how they mate and raising larvae from the spawn. It was a very nice nature education.... TFS! Michal

My son had newts, they could escape an aquaruim no matter what I did. I finally kept them in a curved giant fish bowl finally. I found them freindly, and cute! This one has a frog face.

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