Are Newts And Axolotls Related?

On a quiet evening near a pond, you might see a small, slippery creature moving slowly in the water. Its tail wags gently, and its skin looks smooth or slightly bumpy. You might wonder: are newts and axolotls related?

Yes, they are both amphibians and part of the bigger salamander family, but they live very differently. While they share some traits, their homes, life stages, and daily habits set them apart.

Both newts and axolotls show how salamanders can live in different ways. One moves between ponds and forests, living on land and in water, while the other stays in water almost all its life.

What Makes Newts Special?

Newts are a type of salamander with long bodies, tails, and smooth or slightly rough skin. They spend part of their life in water and part on land.

In water, they swim using their tails and lay eggs. On land, they walk slowly, hunt for insects and worms, and hide under leaves or stones.

This back-and-forth life between water and land makes them flexible and able to live in different places.

What Makes Axolotls Special?

Axolotls are salamanders too, but they are fully aquatic. Unlike most salamanders, they keep their gills their whole life and rarely go onto land. Gills are body parts that let them breathe underwater.

They live in lakes and canals in Mexico, mainly in Xochimilco. Axolotls are famous for staying young-looking even as adults, a trait called neoteny.

Their gills let them breathe underwater, and their tails make them strong swimmers. They almost never leave the water because their bodies are built for life underwater.

How Are Newts And Axolotls Connected?

Newts and axolotls are both part of the salamander group, so they share some features. Both have long bodies, tails, and skin that can take in oxygen or water.

Both also lay eggs in water, and their babies hatch with gills. Their skin is very sensitive, so they both need clean, safe places to live.

Still, they are in different families. Newts are one type, and axolotls are another. This makes them distant cousins in the salamander world.

How Are Their Lives Different?

Newts have a two-part life. They start as eggs in water, hatch into larvae with gills, and later grow legs and lungs to live on land. Adults return to water to have babies.

Axolotls stay in water their whole lives. They keep their gills and do not naturally change into land-dwelling adults. They may change in captivity sometimes, but in the wild, they remain in water.

This difference is one of the main ways these salamanders live differently.

How Do They Move?

Newts move carefully on land, walking slowly and staying low to hide from danger. In water, they swim using gentle tail movements.

Axolotls move almost only in water. They use their tails and webbed feet to swim. On land, they are clumsy and weak, so they rarely leave the water.

This shows how newts are half land, half water, while axolotls live fully in water.

What Do Newts Eat?

Newts eat small animals. On land, they hunt insects, worms, and slugs. In water, larvae hunt tiny water animals.

Food gives them energy, especially before winter when they get ready to hibernate. They move slowly and quietly to catch their prey.

Their diet shows they can live both on land and in water.

What Do Axolotls Eat?

Axolotls eat small animals, but only in water. They eat worms, small insects, tiny fish, and water bugs.

They hunt by quickly opening their mouths and sucking in prey. Since they live fully in water, they cannot hunt on land like newts.

This shows how their food and homes are connected.

How Do They Breathe?

Newts use gills as babies. As adults, they grow lungs and can breathe through their skin. They live on land and in water, so they need both ways to breathe.

Axolotls keep their gills as adults. They can also get a little oxygen through their skin, but their gills do most of the work. This keeps them tied to water.

This difference shows how newts split life between land and water, while axolotls stay in water.

Where Do They Live?

Newts live in Europe, Asia, and North America. They need ponds, streams, forests, or gardens. They move between land and water depending on the season.

Axolotls live only in Mexico, mainly in lakes and canals of Xochimilco. They stay in water almost all the time. Their small home makes them sensitive to changes.

Are They Endangered?

Some newts, like the Great Crested Newt, are protected in Europe because their homes are disappearing. Not all newts are endangered, but many face problems from pollution and land loss.

Axolotls are in big danger in the wild. Their lakes are polluted, drained, or crowded with other species. People keep them in tanks around the world, but very few live in the wild.

This shows how relatives can have very different needs and challenges.

How Do They Have Babies?

Newts go back to ponds to have babies. Males show bright colors and do little dances. Females lay eggs on water plants. Larvae hatch and grow into adults.

Axolotls lay eggs in water too, but adults stay in water. Their gilled babies grow in water. They do not leave the water to have babies.

This is one of the main ways their lives are different.

Can They Live Together?

In tanks, newts and axolotls usually should not be kept together. Newts move between land and water, while axolotls stay fully in water and may get stressed.

Newts could accidentally bite axolotls, and their different water needs make sharing risky. Each does best in its own home that is like nature.

What About Their Skin?

Both newts and axolotls have delicate skin. Newts’ skin is smooth or slightly bumpy and can dry out if not kept moist. Axolotls’ skin is fully water-adapted, soft, and sensitive to chemicals.

Touching them can hurt them. Their skin takes in water, oxygen, and sometimes toxins. Clean, safe water is very important for both.

How Do They Handle Danger?

Newts have mild toxins in their skin and can hide under logs, leaves, or stones. They move slowly and carefully to avoid predators.

Axolotls hide underwater and blend in with mud or plants. They cannot escape on land, so hiding is their main protection.

These ways of staying safe match their homes: newts split time between land and water, axolotls live fully in water.

Conclusion

Newts and axolotls are related as salamanders, but their lives are very different.

Newts move between land and water. Axolotls stay in water their whole lives. Both have long bodies, tails, and delicate skin. Both need water to have babies.

When you watch them, you can see two salamanders from the same family living very different lives in two kinds of worlds.