Rough-skinned newt

Taricha granulosa · The rough-skinned newt is a North American newt found throughout the Pacific Northwest, ranging from Santa Cruz, California to Alaska.

Also called Roughskin Newt.

Rough-skinned newt
Photo: USFWS - Pacific Region, Public domain
Rough-skinned newt
Photo: Kevin Gepford, CC BY-SA 4.0
Rough-skinned newt
Photo: Jsayre64, CC BY-SA 3.0

Taxonomy

KingdomAnimalia
PhylumChordata
ClassAmphibia
OrderUrodela
FamilySalamandridae
GenusTaricha
SpeciesTaricha granulosa

Where it lives

Forests and ponds along the Pacific coast from Alaska to California.

Fun facts

  • Some rough-skinned newts carry enough toxin to kill several adult humans.
  • In 1979, a 29-year-old man in Oregon died after eating one of these newts.
  • Toxin-resistant garter snakes are the only known animals that can eat this newt and survive.
  • The newt's deadly toxin appears to actually be produced by the microbes living on its skin.

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Facts and taxonomy adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).