Salamanders
Superficially they look like lizards but any resemblance is the result of convergence of the basic tetrapod body plan, as they are no more closely related to lizards than they are to mammals. Their nearest relatives are the frogs and toads.
Their moist skin usually makes them reliant on habitats in or near water or under some protection on moist ground. Some salamander species are aquatic throughout life; others are entirely terrestrial as adults. They lay eggs in water. Uniquely among vertebrates, they are capable of regenerating lost limbs, as well as other body parts.
Newts are part of the Salamandridae family, they are found in North America, Europe, and Asia. Their eggs are laid singly in ponds or slow-moving streams, attached to aquatic plants. The larvae have gills initially, these get lost in metamorphosis. The larvae leave the water after metamorphosis.
Newts occurring in the British Isles:
- Common Newt, Lissotriton vulgaris
- Palmate Newt, Lissotriton helveticus
- Alpine Newt, Mesotriton alpestris
- Great Crested Newt, Triturus cristatus
- Italian Crested Newt, Triturus carnifex