Author(s)

Gad Degani^1,2

¹Migal-Galilee Technology Center, Kiryat Shmona, Israel.
²School of Science and Technology, Tel-Hai Academic College, Tel Hai, Israel.

The response to hiding places of metamorphosed newts (Triturus vittatus vittatus) affected by light and moisture was studied under experimental conditions. No significant differences (X²-test; P > 0.05) were found in the choice of hiding places covered with black or transparent paper as the control of the experimental methods. The selection of hiding places by the newts is significant regarding soil moisture and negative phototoxicity. Significant differences (X²-test; P < 0.05) were found in the choice of hiding places between those covered by black paper and those covered by the different colors of light paper: colorless, yellow, red, blue and green. The negative phototoxicity differs according to wavelength and differs from dark to other colors, and to transparent changes according to wavelength. The response to moisture was stronger than to light. Juvenile T. v. vittatus chose moist soil in hiding places covered by black or transparent paper in all the various combinations, and the difference was significant (X²-test; P < 0.001).

Behavior, Hiding Places, Moisture, Triturus vittatus, Wavelength

Degani, G. (2015) The Effect of Light and Soil Moisture on the Environmental Behavior of Newts (Triturus vittatus vittatus, Urodela). Open Journal of Animal Sciences, 5, 411-417. doi: 10.4236/ojas.2015.54043.