Difference Between Crested (Warty) Newt And Lizard
Crested (Warty) Newt
Crested newts spend much of the year on land. During the day, they hide under stones or among thick grasses. At night, especially when it is raining or very humid, they crawl about in search of worms and other prey, which they seize in their jaws. In colder parts of their range, they usually hibernate through the winter. Spring and early summer are the breeding seasons for crested newts. During this time the creatures live in ponds and swamps. They spend much of the time underwater. Every so often, they swim to the surface for a gulp of fresh air. Then they quickly return to the bottom.
During the breeding season, the newts undergo remarkable changes. A high crest develops along the male’s back. It stretches from his head almost to the end of his tail. The female develops tail ridges. And the male grows a long tail fin. The males also change their coloring. The skin on their body and tail turns light olive green, with many black spots. The males court the females with elaborate and enthusiastic dances. They display their crests and coloration. After mating, the females lay one egg at a time. They carefully attach each egg to a leaf of a plant in the water. Then they fold the leaf over to hide the egg. Each female lays 200 to 300 eggs during the breeding season. The eggs hatch into tiny, slender larvae. The larvae grow rapidly. About four months after hatching, they are ready to leave the water and begin their adult life on land.
Lizard
Lizards are reptiles that are closely related to snakes. Well adapted to life on land, they possess a dry, scaly body covering; limbs suited for rapid locomotion; internal fertilization; and hard-shelled eggs for the protection of the embryo. Lizards feed mostly on insects, although a certain number of them eat plants. Only two species are venomous, the Gila monster (Heloderma suspectum) and the Mexican beaded lizard (H. horridum).