pacific newts
genus Taricha
Member of
pleurodeline newts (subfamily Pleurodelinae)
newts (family Salamandridae)
salamanders (order Caudata)
amphibians (class Amphibia)
animals (kingdom Animalia)
Caution: There may be other wild species of this genus not yet included in this guide.
ID tips with photos are at California Herps.
california newt
Taricha torosa
- brown back and yellow underside
- black eyes with yellow patches
- lower eyelid and upper lip are usually light colored
- when seen from above, the eyes extend to or past the margin of the head.
- common throughout the bay area
rough-skinned newt
Taricha granulosa
- brown back and yellow underside (sometimes orangish)
- black eyes with yellow patches
- lower eyelid and upper lip are usually dark colored
- when seen from above, the eyes do not extend past the margin of the head.
- in the bay area, found mostly in the Santa Cruz range
- rare in the Diablo Range and even rarer south of Sunol Wilderness
red-bellied newt
Taricha rivularis
- dark brown back and orange-red underside
- strong dark band across the base of the tail’s underside (weak in others)
- black eyes with no yellow patches
- found only in a single bay area quadrant, near the Lexington Reservoir
2 observed taxons / 1 unobserved taxon / 1 key
Chris’s observations: 16 (13 are research grade)
Locations:
- Henry Coe SP: 2
- Mt. Madonna SP: 2
- Rancho Cañada del Oro OSP: 2
- Sanborn CP: 2
- Almaden Quicksilver CP
- Butano SP
- Coyote Lake / Harvey Bear Ranch CP
- Garin RP
- Long Ridge OSP
- Monte Bello OSP
- Rancho San Antonio OSP
- Stevens Creek CP
Months:
- Dec.: 3
- Jan.: 5
- Feb.: 2
- Mar.: 1
- Apr.: 4
- May: 1
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Taxon info:
iNaturalist
Bay Area species:
iNaturalist
