Social?

[benjamin]

I've read that newts are solitary from many sources. This makes sense for newts that spend most of their lives on land, but what about those newts (Cynops, Paramesotriton, Pleurodeles and others) that spend most of their lives close together in small ponds. I think these newts might enjoy companionship. After four of my C. orientalis died last year my one remaining one went terrestrial and didn't eat much, now he has a tank mate and he's back in the water and eating allot, he also tends to be near the other newt most of the time.

 

[edward]

Hi Ben,
One of the items that may need to be considered in ponds is that it may be harder to delinate a territory. This difficulty would make it less likely that strong territorial instincts would evolve. I would say that pond dwelling species are not less solitary they are in general just less aggressive to one another.

Ed