Nature Champions: Palmate Newt

Palmate newts prefer shallow water on acidic soil and are common in Scotland. Adults grow up to 9cm in length and they have a smooth skin which can be brown, green or grey. They have an unspotted pink or yellow throat and during the breeding season the males develop a filament at the tip of their tail and webbing on their back feet.

Palmate newts and smooth newts are often confused and incorrectly identified. Additionally, it is very difficult to distinguish palmate newt eggs from smooth newt eggs. These eggs are greyish-brown or dirty white and surrounded by a transparent jelly capsule that is about 3 mm across. Palmate newts deposit eggs individually on the leaves of aquatic plants.

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