A Guide to the Amphibians
and Reptiles of California

Taricha torosa - California Newt
Page 2: Breeding, Eggs, & Larvae

(Taricha torosa torosa - Coast Range Newt)

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Adults in the Breeding Season

A mass of breeding adults underwater in the breeding pond in early March, Contra Costa County			Breeding females

Females laying their eggs underwater in the breeding pond in late February, Contra Costa County			Aquatic phase adult male in the breeding pond, Contra Costa County

Male, aquatic breeding phase, with smooth skin and flattened tail, Contra Costa County	Adult Male in breeding season, Contra Costa County	Adult Female in breeding season, Contra Costa County	Breeding female swimming underwater, Contra Costa County

Several males competing for a female that is somewhere in the middle of the mass. This was early in the breeding season when most newts in the pond were males.		Male (on top) female in amplexus	During the breeding season, adult males develop nuptial pads on the toes to improve their ability to hold onto females during amplexus. Compare to the toes of a breeding female without nuptial pads.

Male (on top) in amplexus with a female	Female grasping onto underwater vegetation preparing to lay eggs	Female laying her egg mass underwater	Female laying egg mass underwater (while grasping onto another egg mass)

These are some of hundreds of adult male newts that I watched one winter afternoon as they migrated up a small drainage to a breeding pond, slowly crawling against the current of water flowing from the pond through a small pipe. Their bodies have already undergone the change to their aquatic form, with smooth loose skin and broad flattened tails for swimming. The pond and pipe are visible in the picture on the left. To the right of that, you can see a logjam of newts at the opening to the pipe.

Breeding newts, Santa Ana Mountains, Orange County © John Gerhard	Aquatic phase adult male in breeding pond.
Eggs

Eggs, close-up	Eggs, close-up	Eggs at the shallow edge of a pond	Eggs at the shallow edge of a pond

Eggs attached to underwater vegetation at the edge of a breeding pond			Eggs, close-up

Cluster of eggs attached to underwater vegetation	Single egg cluster attached to underwater vegetation	Eggs attached to a stem underwater.
Aquatic Larvae and Recently-metamorphosed Terrestrial Juveniles

Larva in June, Alameda County	Larva in shallow pool, June, Alameda County

	Larvae in August, Alameda County
The following pictures show a newt larvae from Alameda County in various life stages, from an aquatic larva, to a tiny, fully-metamorphosed juvenile newt.

Larva, underwater, in late June	Larva, underwater, in late July

Larva in early August, developing the warty skin and orange coloring typical of adult newts. Still living in water, but showing reduced gills, preceding the transformation to breathing air. The newt is underwater in the left and center pictures.

3 days later, the same newt out of the water. The newt is now coming up for air, but still living in water. A tiny bit of the gills remain. The dark band around the neck shows where the skin is shedding.		2 days later, the newt has just emerged onto land, breathing air. The skin is rough and still retains some of the dark larval markings.

2 Weeks later, the newt is now fully terrestrial, but still very tiny.
Breeding Habitat

Breeding pond during breeding season, late January, Contra Costa County	Breeding pond during breeding season, late February, Contra Costa County	Breeding pond during breeding season, late February, Contra Costa County	Breeding pond during breeding season, late February, Contra Costa County

Breeding pond during breeding season, late February, Contra Costa County	Habitat, breeding pond in March, Contra Costa County	Breeding pond during breeding season, February, Contra Costa County	Breeding pond in winter, Contra Costa County

Breeding pond during dry season, Contra Costa County	Breeding creek, Kern County	Dry breeding pond in November, Contra Costa County	Full breeding pond during breeding season, late January, Contra Costa County

Creek habitat where larvae were seen in summer, Alameda County	Breeding pond, Contra Costa County	Breeding pond, Contra Costa County
Short Videos

A big ball of newts forms in the breeding pond when a male and female in amplexus are approached by several male newts who want to take the female.	Male and female newts in amplexus in the breeding pond. The males hold on tight and swim around the pond using their huge tails. One uses the toes on his hind feet to stroke a female, probably to make her receptive to take his spermatophore.	Views of a large mass of female newts in the breeding pond, as they go about laying and securing their eggs.	Female newts repeatedly attack and bite at newt egg sacs. Maybe they want to destroy the eggsfor some reason, maybe they are trying to eat them, or maybe there is another explanation.

At the beginning of the breeding season we see single males patrolling the edge of the pond waiting for females to arrive, and females crawling overland and entering the water.	Coast Range Newt Larvae, about an inch in length, swim and crawl around underwater in a small aquarium.
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