Fun Emperor Newt Facts For Kids
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The emperor newt (Tylototriton shanjing), a huge-sized salamander, is also known as the Mandarin newt and Mandarin salamander. The species belongs to the genus Tylototriton. The emperor newt is primarily found in the Yunnan province of China and the species dwell in pools and slow-moving streams in subtropical forests.
The mandarin newts have an unusual orange ridge, also a single orange ridge runs along its rump. Also, two parallel rows of orange bumps are visible on their black-colored back.
Their tail and legs are entirely orange. The salamanders are quite big and the average length of the emperor newt is 4.7-8 in (12-20 cm). Also, they generally live up to 10-15 years but the species can live up to 20 years if kept in captivity.
The species prey on crickets and worms. Due to threats such as loss of habitat and overharvesting, the population of emperor newts is rapidly declining and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has also declared the species Near Threatened.
Keep on reading to learn more interesting facts about emperor newt. If you want to know more exciting information about different animals, check out the Chinese giant salamander and spotted giant salamander.
Emperor Newt Interesting Facts
What type of animal is emperor newt?
The emperor newt is a carnivore and preys on crickets and worms. The species is also known as Mandarin newt and Mandarin salamander. The species are found in pools and slow-moving streams.
What class of animal does emperor newt belong to?
The emperor newt belongs to the class of Amphibia, the family of Salamandridae, and the genus Tylototriton.
How many emperor newts are there in the world?
The exact population of the emperor newt species is not known as of now but the numbers are declining rapidly. Also, the species is endemic to China.
Where does emperor newt live?
The Mandarin newt primarily lives in the Yunnan province of China. The species is found near the Nu, Lancang, and Yuan rivers and the elevation of 330-8,200 ft (100-2500 m) suits them.
What is the emperor newt's habitat?
The emperor newt (Tylototriton shanjing) dwells in pools and slow-moving streams in subtropical forests. The species is also found in rice paddies and humid grasslands.
Who do emperor newts live with?
Like all the species of salamanders, the emperor newt (Tylototriton shanjing) is solitary and prefers to live alone but the salamanders come together during the breeding season.
How long does an emperor newt live?
The Mandarin newt generally lives up to 10-15 years but the species can live up to 20 years if kept in captivity.
How do they reproduce?
The breeding season of the emperor newt (Tylototriton shanjing) generally occurs during the monsoon season, i.e. during the months of May to August. Like other amphibians, the male and female mandarin newt is involved in several courtship displays.
The male and female mandarin newt form circles underwater and poke each other with their snouts. The female mandarin salamander primarily lays eggs on the rocks or plants. The females lay over 100 eggs in each season.
What is their conservation status?
The population of emperor newts is rapidly declining due to several threats such as over-harvesting and loss of habitat and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has declared the species Near Threatened. These amphibians are widely used for making traditional Chinese medicines.
Emperor Newt Fun Facts
What do emperor newts look like?
The emperor newt has an unusual orange ridge and a single orange ridge runs along its rump. Also, two parallel rows of orange bumps are visible on the black-colored back. Their tail and legs are entirely orange which is visible in the image as well. Newts shed their skin frequently, and often tend to eat them.
How cute are they?
The most fascinating and cutest thing about the Mandarin salamander would be the courtship display where the male and females generally nudge each other with their snouts during the breeding season.
How do they communicate?
Unlike many amphibians, the Tylototriton shanjing species is not vocal but they use touch and sense of smell to communicate with each other. The olfactory epithelium helps the species to know about the predators, territory, and partners during the mating season.
These nocturnal amphibians are best known for their two parallel rows of orange bumps which are also known as the poison glands.
How big is emperor newt?
The mandarin salamander is quite big and the average length of the species is 4.7-8 in (12-20 cm). The species is thrice the size of the dwarf salamander of the United States. Some of the emperor newts are four times larger than the Barton Springs salamander.
How fast can emperor newt move?
Like other species of salamanders, the Tylototriton shanjing species generally move quite fast but the species is known for moving most quickly to avoid predation or while hunting prey.
How much does emperor newt weigh?
No information regarding the weight of the Tylototriton shanjing is available at this moment.
What are the male and female names of the species?
There are no specific names given to the males and female salamanders. People generally refer to them as emperor or Mandarin newts. Also, the females are a bit larger than males.
What would you call a baby emperor newt?
No particular name is used to call the babies of emperor newts but terms such as juveniles, young salamanders, or salamander nymphs can be used to refer to the babies of salamanders.
What do they eat?
The emperor newts are carnivores and primarily prey on soil invertebrates around their habitat. They generally consume crickets such as the mole cricket and worms. Their diet in their natural habitats and captivity remains the same.
Are they poisonous?
The emperor newts possess poison glands that secrete deadly toxins. The species generally exude the poison from the glands to avoid predation and a study revealed that the toxin is enough to kill around 7,500 mice.
Juveniles are considered more deadly than adults. Although, the species is not dangerous to humans if proper care is taken. Also, before and after touching the newt, it is suggested to wash your hands.
Would they make a good pet?
People love to keep the emperor newts as pets but several things should be kept in mind before keeping them. The species generally prefer to live in cool temperatures. The ideal temperatures would be 58-62 °F (15-17 °C) and 72-78 °F (23-26 °C) in winters and summers respectively.
Also, during the summer and spring seasons, the species become aquatic. Thus, you can keep them in large fish tanks. It is advised to keep your hands clean before and after handling the newt.
Did you know...
The term 'shanjing' is a combination of two Mandarin words, 'shan' and 'jing'. The meaning of the term is 'the demon of the mountains'.
The rough-skinned newt of the North American continent secretes enough toxins to kill an adult human.
Different types of emperor newt
The emperor newt is known by different names such as the Mandarin newt or Mandarin salamander. The species is endemic to the Yunnan province of China and is considered threatened due to the population decline.
Do emperor newts bite?
The emperor newts possess teeth and can bite, but mostly, they only use their teeth to eat their prey. The species generally tend to secrete virulent toxins if they feel threatened.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other amphibians from our olm facts and bullfrog facts pages.
You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable emperor newt coloring pages.
Emperor newt Facts
What Did They Prey On?
Crickets and wormsWhat Type of Animal were they?
CarnivoreAverage Litter Size?
Over 100 eggsHow Much Did They Weigh?
N/AWhat habitat Do they Live In?
subtropical forestsWhere Do They Live?
chinaHow Long Were They?
4.7-8 in (12-20 cm)How Tall Were They?
N/AClass
AmphibiaGenus
TylototritonFamily
SalamandridaeScientific Name
Tylototriton shanjingWhat Do They Look Like?
Orange, blackSkin Type
SlimyWhat Are Their Main Threats?
loss of habitat, overharvestingWhat is their Conservation Status?
Near Threatened
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