Since time immemorial, on rainy nights, salamanders have roamed the Iberian forests. In the cold, fast-flowing waters of the Pyrenean torrents, a species of newt moves along the bottom in search of prey. In the troughs, springs or pools of our fields, the marbled newts perform their nuptial dances. But what role do these amphibians play in our ecosystems? How many species do we find in our mountains and what does their conservation depend on? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the Iberian Peninsula we have two species of salamanders<\/strong>They are terrestrial and nocturnal. They only come to water to lay their eggs or larvae, as the young develop in this environment. In contrast, the nine species of newts<\/strong> are more dependent on water and spend a large part of their life cycle in this environment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n These tailed amphibians breathe atmospheric oxygen dissolved in the water, through their gills (the larval forms) and through their lungs, through buccopharyngeal respiration or through their skin, the adults.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n