The Sardinian Brook Newt is the most aquatic salamander in the genus and can be found in the water year round. It can be as long 15cm long, but is usually smaller. The salamander has a slender body with a flattened head, the tail is low and oval shaped. The top jaw hangs over the lower jaw. Males have a small spur on the hind legs with a few warts on the skin. The skin on the top of the salamander is usually grey, brown, or olive with brown, green, red, or black spots. The number of spots on the skin varies. The center of the belly yellow or red and can be dark spotted, particularly in males. The neck is usually spotted with white, bright brown, rust brown, or dark brown along the spine.

 

The Sardinian Brook Newt is becoming extinct and the population is still dropping. Between 1991 and 2001 the salamander was found in 14 sites with more male than female salamanders. They are rare, but you may find one in freshwater habitats. The salamander’s major threats are pollution of water bodies, habitat fragmentation, and introduced trout. Recently, the population is being damaged by the destruction of its habitat by increased tourist activities. No specific conservation has been made for the Sardinian salamanders.

 

The Sardinian salamander is hunted by trout which were introduced in 1950. However, most predators don’t eat them because of the bold colors of their underside tells them that the salamander is not safe to eat. Unfortunately, humans are also predators of the Sardinian salamander because people are polluting freshwater habitats.

 

Sardinian salamanders eat small insects such as spiders, crickets, grasshoppers, earthworms, slugs, snails, and frog tad pools. When salamanders are young they eat water mosquitoes. They eat by sucking an animal into their mouth. Eating in the water requires changes in the shape of the eye for seeing and of the mouth. In the water, the salamanders a lateral line of organs in their skin. The organs allow the salamander to make small water currents to detect prey.

 

Sardinian Brook Newts live on land and in fresh water habitats. They are found in Sardinia, Italy where it is only found in the eastern part of the island between the Limbara Mountains to the north and the Sette Fratelli Mountains. The salamanders are usually found in elevations of 400-800m, but have been found in elevations of 50-1,800.

 

Author: Alex Z

Published: 2/2010

 

Works cited: 

Bogaerts, Serge. Sardinian brook newt. http://www.arkive.org/sardinian-brook-newt/euproctus-platycephalus/info.html. 10 February 2010

 

Romano, Antonio, 2008. Euproctus platycephalus. <www.iucnredlist.org>. 10 February 2010.

 

Photo credit 

http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Euproctus_platycephalus01.jpg