Reproduction

Sharp-ribbed newts will breed twice each year. The first season occurs in spring with the second taking place in midsummer.

Mating occurs in the water with males holding the female with his front legs. These mating events can last for hours or even days.

Egg laying occurs two days after the fertilization of the eggs.

The clutch size is variable based on the females size. It can vary anywhere from 100 to 1,000 eggs. The eggs are deposited in the pond on plants and stones.

Sharp-ribbed newts hatch in a larval form which they spend 3-5 months in.

Behavior

These animals will seek shelter under stones or within mud.

Spanish-ribbed newts are not strong swimmers and tend to stick to slow moving bodies of water.

Outside of the breeding season these animals are primarily solitary.

Predators and Threats

Sharp-ribbed newts will defend themselves by injecting poison through the special rib bones which poke out through pores in the skin. They can also use glands at the back of their head to release poison with these glands also found in the tail.

These animals are threatened by the destruction of their habitat and pollution.

Introduced species of fish and crayfish will eat the eggs and larva of the sharp-ribbed newt.

In some populations they are increasingly falling victim to vehicle strikes.

Quick facts

These animals are also know as the Spanish ribbed-newt or Iberian ribbed newt.

Sharp-ribbed newts have also been used in laboratories for studies in to organ regeneration and testing related to zero-gravity.