Instruct: Given a question, retrieve relevant passages that can help answer the question.
Query: Are newts amphibians?
Newts, as with salamanders in general and other amphibians, serve as bioindicators because of their thin, sensitive skin and evidence of their presence (or absence) can serve as an indicator of the health of the environment. Most species are highly sensitive to subtle changes in the pH level of the streams and lakes where they live. Because their skin is permeable to water, they absorb oxygen and other substances they need through their skin. Scientists study the stability of the amphibian population when studying the water quality of a particular body of water.
"Pachytriton" species are stout-bodied, smooth-skinned aquatic newts. Their heads are large and flattened, and they have conspicuous labial folds and short, stubby legs and toes. They breathe through both lungs and skin. 
"P. brevipes" ranges from 5.5 to 7.5 in as an adult. It has prominent labial folds, long digits, and smooth skin, which differs from the tuberculate skin typical of newts.
During the subsequent few months, the larvae undergo metamorphosis, during which they develop legs, and the gills are absorbed and replaced by air-breathing lungs. Some species, such as the North American newts, also become more brightly coloured during this phase. Once fully metamorphosised, they leave the water and live a terrestrial life, when they are known as "efts". Only when the eft reaches adulthood will the North American species return to live in water, rarely venturing back onto the land. Conversely, most European species live their adult lives on land and only visit water to breed.
Wu "et al". (2007) found that when larvae are placed in a homogeneous temperature environment, they do not need to use behavioral thermoregulation and instead only use metabolic compensation. However, when placed in an environment with a variation of temperatures, newts will use both behavioral thermoregulation and metabolic compensation. Samajov and Gvozdik (2009) discovered that when adult newts dive at higher temperatures, they reduce the amount of time in their dive in order to reduce the cost on thermoregulation. Samajov and Gvozdik did not take into consideration that newts respire aerially, as well as cutaneously, and so the frequency and the duration of the dives recorded could have been affected by the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water. Adult newts alter the speed in which they dive between descents and ascents. Descents affect thermoregulation by using more energy, and so newts will often choose a passive descent, rather than swimming down to forage for food. When "T. carnifex" ascends, thermoregulation is not as affected because newts have been known to increase their buoyancy by expelling excess gasses. By altering the behavior used as a larvae and when swimming, "T. carnifex" can effectively thermoregulate.
In most subsequent forms, many of these early ribs have been lost, and in living amphibians and reptiles, there is great variation in rib structure and number. For example, turtles have only eight pairs of ribs, which are developed into a bony or cartilaginous carapace and plastron, while snakes have numerous ribs running along the full length of their trunk. Frogs typically have no ribs, aside from a sacral pair, which form part of the pelvis.
The rough-skinned newt ("Taricha granulosa") is a newt known for its strong poison. Habitats of rough-skinned newts are found throughout the West Coast of the United States and British Columbia. Their range extends south to Santa Cruz, California and north to Alaska.
Nile crocodiles "(Crocodylus niloticus)" the largest living reptile seen in river banks and ponds in the two protected parks, the dwarf caiman, smaller and docile species of chameleons in 100 colour variations. 
Tortoises are: leopard tortoise "(Stigmochelys pardalis)", several species of terrapin and turtles – out of eight species of marine turtles four are found in Benin coast, namely, the green sea turtle "(Chelonia mydas)", olive ridley sea turtle "(Lepidochelys olivacea)" and leatherback sea turtle ("Dermochelys coriacea"). The indigenous hawksbill sea turtle "(Eretmochelys imbricata)" is the source of traditional tortoiseshell). 
Lizards found are harmless and of two types, the water and savanna monitors – "Varanus niloticus" and "Varanus exanthematicus" – both are predatory species; house gecko "(Hemidactylus mabouia)", a translucent white lizard; agama species in large size of varied mixed colours and the skinks.
The rough skinned newt uses a form of chemical based avoidance behavior to evade being eaten by predators, mainly the common garter snake. The snakes, after swallowing, digesting, and metabolizing a rough-skinned newt, release a chemical signature. This stimulus can be detected by a nearby newt and trigger an avoidant response, which allows them to minimize predation risks. In this way, newts are able to differentiate whether a snake is resistant or sensitive to the toxin in order to avoid being preyed upon. However, newts do not avoid the corpses of a recently digested newt that has been left to decompose. This behavior is unlike salamanders that have been documented in avoiding other damaged salamanders.
23 terrestrial reptile species are known to occur on the islands of the Houtman Abrolhos. This relatively low biodiversity is apparently due to the homogeneity of habitat on the islands, which provide few distinct ecological niches. The most significant terrestrial reptile species are the spiny-tailed skink ("Egernia stokesii stokesii") and the carpet python ("Morelia spilota imbricata"), both of which are listed as rare and therefore afforded special protection under the "Wildlife Conservation Act 1950"; and the Abrolhos dwarf bearded dragon ("Pogona minor minima"), a Houtman Abrolhos endemic that is listed as a Priority 4 species by the Department of Environment and Conservation. For a full list of species, see list of reptiles of the Houtman Abrolhos.
This is a monotypic species. All tinamou are from the family Tinamidae, and in the larger scheme are also ratites. Unlike other ratites, tinamous can fly, although in general, they are not strong fliers. All ratites evolved from prehistoric flying birds, and tinamous are the closest living relative of these birds.
The skin of amphibians is a major site of respiration in all species for which measurements are available. Cutaneous respiration is the sole respiratory mode of lungless salamanders (family Plethodontidae) which lack lungs entirely yet constitute the largest family of salamanders. Cutaneous respiration in frogs and other amphibians may be the primary respiratory mode during colder temperatures.
The birds of New Zealand evolved into an avifauna that included a large number of endemic species. As an island archipelago New Zealand accumulated bird diversity and when Captain James Cook arrived in the 1770s he noted that the bird song was deafening. The mix includes species with unusual biology such as the kakapo which is the world's only flightless, nocturnal, lek breeding parrot, but also many species that are similar to neighboring land areas. Some of the more well known and distinctive bird species in New Zealand are the kiwi, kea, takahe, kakapo, mohua, tui and the bellbird. The tuatara is a notable reptile endemic to New Zealand.
Uniquely in regards to modern New Zealand's dearth of land mammals there is a basal theriiforme mammal, the Saint Bathans mammal. Several species of mystacine bats are also known, as well as a vesper bat and several "incertae sedis" species. This suggests that small land mammals were a common component of New Zealand's fauna in the Miocene, with even bats being significantly more diverse than today.
The Australian coast is visited by six species of sea turtle: the flatback, green sea, hawksbill, olive ridley, loggerhead and the leatherback sea turtles; all are protected in Australian waters. There are 35 species of Australian freshwater turtles from eight genera of the family Chelidae. The pig-nosed turtle is the only Australian turtle not of that family. Australia is the only continent without any living species of land tortoise.
Australia is the only continent where venomous snakes outnumber their non-venomous cousins. Australian snakes belong to seven families. Of these, the most venomous species, including the fierce snake, eastern brown snake, taipan and eastern tiger snake are from the family Elapidae. Of the 200 species of elapid, 86 are found only in Australia. Thirty-three sea snakes from family Hydrophiidae inhabit Australia's northern waters; many are extremely venomous. Two species of sea snake from the Acrochordidae also occur in Australian waters. Australia has only 11 species from the world's most significant snake family Colubridae; none are endemic, and they are considered to be relatively recent arrivals from Asia. There are 15 python species and 31 species of insectivorous blind snake.
There are more than 700 species of lizards in Australia with representatives of five families. There are over 130 species in 20 genera of gecko found throughout the Australian continent. The Pygopodidae is a family of limbless lizards endemic to the Australian region; all 39 species from seven genera occur in Australia. The Agamidae or dragon lizards are represented by 70 species in 14 genera, including the thorny devil, bearded dragon and frill-necked lizard. There are 30 species of monitor lizard, family Varanidae, in Australia, where they are commonly known as goannas. The largest Australian monitor is the perentie, which can reach up to 2 m in length. There are about 450 species of skink from more than 40 genera, comprising more than 50% of the total Australian lizard fauna; this group includes the blue-tongued lizards.
This subspecies eats geckos, house mice, birds, and marsupials, including the Tammar wallaby.
The young of brooding red-eared firetails, "Stagonopleura oculata", were taken from a nest being observed.
Fish from multiple groups can live out of the water for extended periods. Amphibious fish such as the mudskipper can live and move about on land for up to several days, or live in stagnant or otherwise oxygen depleted water. Many such fish can breathe air via a variety of mechanisms. The skin of anguillid eels may absorb oxygen directly. The buccal cavity of the electric eel may breathe air. Catfish of the families Loricariidae, Callichthyidae, and Scoloplacidae absorb air through their digestive tracts. Lungfish, with the exception of the Australian lungfish, and bichirs have paired lungs similar to those of tetrapods and must surface to gulp fresh air through the mouth and pass spent air out through the gills. Gar and bowfin have a vascularized swim bladder that functions in the same way. Loaches, trahiras, and many catfish breathe by passing air through the gut. Mudskippers breathe by absorbing oxygen across the skin (similar to frogs). A number of fish have evolved so-called accessory breathing organs that extract oxygen from the air. Labyrinth fish (such as gouramis and bettas) have a labyrinth organ above the gills that performs this function. A few other fish have structures resembling labyrinth organs in form and function, most notably snakeheads, pikeheads, and the Clariidae catfish family.
The elephants comprise three living species and are the largest living land animals.Sirenia is an order of fully aquatic, herbivorous mammals that inhabit rivers, estuaries, coastal marine waters, swamps, and marine wetlands. All four species are endangered.The treeshrews are small mammals native to the tropical forests of Southeast Asia. Although called treeshrews, they are not true shrews and are not all arboreal.The two species of colugos make up the order Dermoptera. They are arboreal gliding mammals found in Southeast Asia.The order Primates contains humans and their closest relatives: lemurs, lorisoids, monkeys, and apes.Rodents make up the largest order of mammals, with over 40 percent of mammalian species. They have two incisors in the upper and lower jaw which grow continually and must be keep short by gnawing. Most rodents are small though the capybara can weigh up to 45 kg (100 lb).
The forests are home to a number of endemic species including two flightless birds that no longer survive in the lowland areas of the island, these are the western weka and the largest kiwi, the great spotted kiwi. The varied habitats in the region support a mixture of other birds found here include the kea, the New Zealand kaka parrot" (Nestor meridionalis)", the New Zealand pigeon or kereru "(Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae)" and the New Zealand falcon or karearea "(Falco novaeseelandiae)". Farewell Spit in particular is an important site for wading birds and is on a migration route. 
The area is also rich in invertebrates including almost half of the known species of amber snails "(Powelliphanta)".
Fish from multiple groups can live out of the water for extended time periods. Amphibious fish such as the mudskipper can live and move about on land for up to several days, or live in stagnant or otherwise oxygen depleted water. Many such fish can breathe air via a variety of mechanisms. The skin of anguillid eels may absorb oxygen directly. The buccal cavity of the electric eel may breathe air. Catfish of the families Loricariidae, Callichthyidae, and Scoloplacidae absorb air through their digestive tracts. Lungfish, with the exception of the Australian lungfish, and bichirs have paired lungs similar to those of tetrapods and must surface to gulp fresh air through the mouth and pass spent air out through the gills. Gar and bowfin have a vascularized swim bladder that functions in the same way. Loaches, trahiras, and many catfish breathe by passing air through the gut. Mudskippers breathe by absorbing oxygen across the skin (similar to frogs). A number of fish have evolved so-called accessory breathing organs that extract oxygen from the air. Labyrinth fish (such as gouramis and bettas) have a labyrinth organ above the gills that performs this function. A few other fish have structures resembling labyrinth organs in form and function, most notably snakeheads, pikeheads, and the Clariidae catfish family.
Nearly 100 species of reptiles occur in the Eastern Ghats. Many endangered species are also present, including the mugger crocodile "(Crocodylus palustris)", Indian black turtle "(Melanochelys trijuga)", Indian flapshell turtle "(Lissemys punctata)", Indian tent turtle "(Pangshura tentoria)", Indian star tortoise "(Geochelone elegans)", Leith's softshell turtle "(Nilssonia leithii)", many of which are found in the northern rivers and riverine valley tracts.
Lungfish are freshwater rhipidistian fish belonging to the subclass Dipnoi. Lungfish are best known for retaining characteristics primitive within the Osteichthyes, including the ability to breathe air, and structures primitive within Sarcopterygii, including the presence of lobed fins with a well-developed internal skeleton.
The rough-skinned newt ("Taricha granulosa") is a newt known for its strong poison. Habitats of rough-skinned newts are found throughout the West Coast of the United States and British Columbia. Their range extends south to Santa Cruz, California and north to Alaska. Rough-skinned newts are rare in Idaho and have only been found in several ponds near Moscow, Idaho where they may have been introduced.
Bulgaria is a country in southeastern Europe situated entirely in the Balkan peninsula. Bulgaria is inhabited by 20 amphibian species, which makes the amphibians the least diverse class of vertebrates in the country. They include seven species of newts and salamanders from a single family, Salamandridae, as well as 13 frog and toad species from five families—Bombinatoridae, Bufonidae, Hylidae, Pelobatidae and Ranidae. The most recently classified species are the northern crested newt, identified in 2005, and the Macedonian crested newt, identified in 2007. Some of the most common species include the European green toad, yellow-bellied toad, and marsh frog.
The alpine newt (Ichthyosaura alpestris) is a newt of the salamander order Caudata (or Urodela) in the class of amphibians.
It was formerly known as "Triturus alpestris" and "Mesotriton alpestris".
The amphibian adrenal gland is responsible for the release of corticosteroids and catecholamines which aid in stress response in the newts by maintaining ion and water balance. This allows them to adapt and moderate environmental changes in their habitats. However, the introduction of cadmium into aquatic systems has been shown to disrupt normal operation of the adrenal gland in amphibians and result in a marked drop in ACTH (a hormone secreted by the anterior pituitary gland which triggers an increase in production of corticosterone) and therefore also a drop in corticosterone production. A drop in these necessary hormones severely affects the survivability of the newt, and its hypersensitivity towards chemical and pollutant exposure serves to cripple "T. carnifex"'s longevity further.