Spanish Newt

About the Spanish Newt

The Iberian ribbed newt (Pleurodeles waltl), also known commonly as the Spanish ribbed newt and gallipato in Spanish, is a species of salamander in the subfamily Pleurodelinae of the family Salamandridae. The species is native to the central and southern Iberian Peninsula and northern Morocco. It is the largest European newt species. It is known for its defense mechanisms where their sharp ribs puncture through its sides when in a defensive state, and as such is also called the sharp-ribbed newt and the sharp-ribbed salamander.

This species should not be confused with a different species with a similar common name, the Iberian newt (Lissotriton boscai). The Iberian ribbed newt typically have 8 to 10 tubercles that look like orange warts running down each side. Through these, its sharp ribs can puncture through the stretched skin. The size of their ribs are larger than most other salamanders. The ribs act as a defense mechanism, causing little harm to the newt. Iberian ribbed newts generally try to run away from predators, but if they cannot escape they resort to this mechanism. It could be considered as a primitive and rudimentary system of envenomation, but is completely... Wikipedia →