Alpine newt

Description

During the mating season in spring, the males, up to nine cm long, have a blue dorsal colouration; their flanks are spotted black and white and bordered by a blue stripe towards the belly. The flat, straight (not serrated) dorsal crest is alternately yellowish-black spotted. The females, up to twelve cm long, are dark grey-brown-greenish marbled in aquatic habitat and show somewhat weaker flank spotting. The central ventral side of both sexes is bright orange to cinnamon red in colour and - in contrast to other newt species - usually unspotted. After the end of the spawning season in May, the adults leave the water again and gradually develop a more inconspicuous land costume. This is characterised by a dark, almost black, granulated, dull and water-repellent skin on top. The belly remains slightly orange, but is less colourful than in the aquatic display.

Habitat

The Alpine newt is a typical inhabitant of water-rich forests in hilly to mountainous landscapes - it is often associated with the palmate newt, which is, however, rarer overall. It is usually absent in sparsely wooded areas. In addition to dense deciduous forests, it also inhabits park-like areas and semi-natural gardens. Outside the spawning season, the Alpine Newt is a nocturnal land animal. During the day it hides in many shady places, for example under stones or wood. At night, it hunts for beetles, earthworms and other small animals. Its main enemies are trout, other fish and larvae of the blue-green damselfly, which prey mainly on newt larvae. After "awakening" from their winter torpor in February/March, Alpine newts immediately migrate to nearby bodies of water - especially forest ponds and lakes, firewater ponds, wildlife ponds and water-filled wagon tracks on forest roads. These may well be cool, shady and devoid of vegetation.

The text is a translation of an excerpt from Wikipedia (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bergmolch). On wikipedia the text is available under a „Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike“ licence. Status: 29 June 2021