Example: Striped Newt
That red-striped, red-dotted "spring lizard," or salamander looks quite harmless. However, this bright coloration is really a warning signal! Newts have skin glands that make them toxic to potential predators. During the spring, newts lay their gelatinous eggs in water that hatch into larvae with gills and underdeveloped limbs. As they mature, most salamander larvae transform into adults that lose their gills and have fully developed legs. The aquatic larvae feed on tadpoles. This influences future frog populations in their community. Salamanders and frogs become food for fish, turtles, alligators, snakes, and wading birds, as well as some carnivorous mammals.
