Eastern Newt Surprise!

[brinkerh420]

After receiving some Utricularia Macrorhiza and Utricularia Gibba a few months ago, I found two surprises in my water tray. Two Eastern Newts, one dead, one completely alive sitting in my Carnivorous Plant Water Tray(where the utrics reside). This is the weird thing, and I would love someone to help me out with this one:

If there were eggs on the Utrics and they hatched, why did this Newt have no visible gills like any Newt Larva should? Between the larval and adult stage, there is a 3-4 year period of being a Red Eft, so there is no way that this thing could be an adult. It's about 2 inches long, too small for an adult. Is there a way this larva could have been in the tray long enough to grow legs and lose its gills?

Here is a picture:

Any explanations?

Will

 

[Cthulhu138]

This animal appears to have just lost it's gills. Eastern newts go through the eft stage shortly after completing the larval stage in late summer into fall when they emerge from ponds for the first time. It should soon want to leave the water and you should see the skin starting to redden up and change texture to accommodate the next stage of it's life. Keep us posted on it's progress.

 

[kulamauiman]

"she turned me into a newt".. "A newt?" "Well.... I got better"

 

[Cthulhu138]

"she turned me into a newt".. "A newt" "Well.... I got better"

"Burn Her !"

 

[Rocketcaver]

How do you know she's a witch?

 

[brinkerh420]

Sorry guys, I actually just gave him\her to a friend who will let them go in the woods near where they live Sorry to say that I cannot relay any more information I thought it was best for the newt since I didn't really have the exact care requirements.

But the question still remains: I got the plants in Early May, so could the larval stage have been completed without me feeding it and without me noticing it?

Thanks for all your responses,

Will

 

[Cthulhu138]

Yes, enough microfauna most likely came in with the plants to keep it fed throughout the summer. Also, if these plants were kept outside or in an area exposed to the outside, many different insects probably bred in the water thus producing plenty of aquatic larvae for it to eat.

 

[NewspaperFort]

AMAZING STORY I wish i was so lucky. And i hope / think you did the right thing by setting it free. But man, to combine my two favorite things of tyhe animal kingdom (carnivorous plants / amphibians) all at once like that? I truly could not be more envious. Cool story! Sorry to hear about the other little guy though :/