Sharp-ribbed salamander ( Pleurodeles waltl )
Sharp-ribbed salamander - Sharp-ribbed salamander information - Sharp-ribbed salamander facts
Pleurodeles waltl is found in Morocco and Iberia. It has got an olive colour, robust body, rough skin and long tail. He can measure up to 30 cm and weight approximately 20g. His life-expectancy is up to 20 years.
He eats a number of small invertebrates. He is a nocturnal animal and lives in rivers, where water is slow-moving, then ponds, lakes and ditches understandably he is a good swimmer too.
Ribs are the most fascinating thing about this salamander. They are very strong, sharp and in fact they do stick through the salamander’s skin when threatened. It is a perfect perforating weapon and a great defensive mechanism against some natural predators such as snakes or several fish.
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