The Hong Kong Warty Newt (Paramesotriton hongkongensis) is an amphibian in the salamander family. It is also known as the Hong Kong Newt.
The Hong Kong Warty Newt has a long dark-brown slimy body with an orange-yellow underbelly. It has small granules or nodules along its body. It has a ridge along its back, from its neck to its thin, flattened tail. Its head is almost triangular in shape. It has bulging eyes with horizontal pupils. It has four short legs with toes that are not webbed.
It grows to about 11-15 centimetres (4-6 inches) in length.
It is native to Hong Kong.
The female lays eggs amongst leaves near water. The young are called tadpoles. The tadpoles have gills around their necks which help them breathe under water. The gills disappear as the tadpoles grow into adults. The adults have lungs to breathe.
[Location of photographs: Phnom Penh, Cambodia]
Photographer: Martina Nicolls
Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM