Any idea what this is????????

niallsan · 01-09-2009 7:09am #1

Hi, I'm new to boards. It was suggested that I ask the good folk on boards what this little fellow is(pictured in attachment). I found him(her) cuddling up to my garage door. He had a frog-like face and moved very slowlyand was about 15cm long. Also, he couldn't climb or grip very well! I have never seen one of these before.

Amalgam · 01-09-2009 7:15am

It looks like a 'Smooth Newt', Triturus Vulgaris.

KTRIC · 01-09-2009 7:17am

Judging by the stumpy tail I would say some kind of salamander. Any chance of a closer shot ?

Amalgam · 01-09-2009 7:18am

Water borne from March to September, leaves water after, to hole up (hibernate), typically under fallen logs and in holes.

Amalgam · 01-09-2009 7:20am

The markings are typical of a male Newt. Specially along the jawline and gold rim to the eyes.

LisaO · 01-09-2009 8:26am

It's beautiful! Don't know if they are rare but I always feel privileged when I have a close encounter with wild creatures that you wouldn't normally come into contact with. 15cm sounds very big for a newt, any I've ever seen were much smaller. What did you do with him, OP?

Tomebagel · 01-09-2009 9:39am

+1 on the newt.

aboutimeilogin! · 01-09-2009 10:04am

15cm long? sounds to big to be a smooth newt, looks more like the ones you see imported for petshops

wexford202 · 01-09-2009 10:37am

Yuck Yuck Yuck

aboutimeilogin! · 01-09-2009 10:42am

Amalgam wrote: »

The markings are typical of a male Newt. Specially along the jawline and gold rim to the eyes.

http://www.google.ie/imgres?imgurl=http://www.scitech.ac.uk/resources/image/malesmooth.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.scitech.ac.uk/PMC/PRel/STFC/Atmospheric.aspx&h=1728&w=2304&sz=386&tbnid=e3asWG0Zg6c4kM:&tbnh=112&tbnw=150&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dsmooth%2Bnewt&hl=en&usg=__JN1BUPFLNMqRix26oyaZLBm6SOw=&ei=-uucSoSEE5S7jAfQzajbDQ&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=3&ct=image

deffo a female but not a smooth newt!

niallsan · 02-09-2009 12:43am

Actually I suppose it was more like 7->10cm!!!:o Here is a better picture! O ya LisaO, I just placed her on a kerb near a light in the garden. She was still there about an hour later?!?!?!?

caspa307 · 02-09-2009 12:55am

i belive it may be a long tailed skink....

http://www.naturephoto-cz.com/long-tailed-skink:mabuya-longicaudata--photo-1736.html

niallsan · 02-09-2009 1:59am

Checking that website it looks more like aa Alpine Newt- if its possible to find them in Ireland

niallsan · 02-09-2009 2:24am

Yip Amalgam was definately correct. The smooth Newt is the only Newt species native to Ireland- according to Wiki. Thanks to all contributors:):):)

Amalgam · 02-09-2009 3:25am

Sadly, Ireland isn't blessed with a large selection of indigenous reptiles\amphibians. There wasn't much to choose from. Common Lizard. Slow Worm. Smooth Newt. Common Frog. Natterjack Toad.

Is that it? I'm not sure myself.

blackbetty69 · 02-09-2009 3:35am

due to the speckles, i wud say its an animalius newt, common to countries such as libya and morocca

aboutimeilogin! · 02-09-2009 4:34am

niallsan wrote: »

Yip Amalgam was definately correct. The smooth Newt is the only Newt species native to Ireland- according to Wiki. Thanks to all contributors:):):)

deffo not correct re i.d. of pic!
correct about native sp.
he said male! that is not a male smooth newt of female smooth newt!:)

aboutimeilogin! · 02-09-2009 4:36am

sudden change in size makes a huge difference in i.d.!
from 15cm to pos 7cm!!!!!!!!!!! half the size!:L:)
http://media.photobucket.com/image/smooth%20newts/jme_17/NewtWorm.jpg

me_right_one · 02-09-2009 4:43am

A lizard. What county u in? Is there a bog nearby?

aboutimeilogin! · 02-09-2009 4:47am

me_right_one wrote: »

A lizard. What county u in? Is there a bog nearby?

not a lizard 100%
amphibian for sure!

Any idea what this is????????

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