Red-spotted Newt
Notophthalmus viridescens viridescens — Salamandridae
2.25–4.8 inches
How to identify
- Eft stage (juvenile, terrestrial): bright orange-red with a row of red spots bordered by black along the sides
- Adult stage (aquatic): olive-green or yellowish-brown with red spots bordered by black
- Small to medium size, 2.25–4.8 inches
- Rough, granular skin in eft stage; smoother in adult stage
- Compressed tail in adult stage for swimming
About this species
Virginia's most commonly seen salamander, the red-spotted newt has a remarkable three-stage life cycle. Aquatic larvae transform into terrestrial red efts — vivid orange-red juveniles that wander forest floors for up to seven years before returning to water as olive-green aquatic adults. The bright orange eft stage is a warning coloration: newts produce tetrodotoxin, a potent neurotoxin, in their skin.
Often confused with
Did you know
"Red efts are toxic enough that a single newt contains enough tetrodotoxin to kill several adult humans — making them one of the most toxic vertebrates in North America despite their small size."
Sightings & citizen science
Help document Virginia wildlife by logging your sightings on iNaturalist. Every observation builds the conservation data that researchers and rehabbers depend on.
View Red-spotted Newt observations on iNaturalist ↗If you've found an injured or displaced Red-spotted Newt in Virginia, our triage guide walks you through what to do.