Montseny Brook Newt (Calotriton arnoldi)
The Montseny Brook Newt is native to the Montseny Massif in Northeast Spain. They primarily inhabit cold, fast-moving rivers with low nutrient levels, indicating they are strictly aquatic in nature. It was distinctively recognized as its own species, separate from the Pyrenean brook salamander, in 2005.
Displaying a chocolate-colored back, this species has a flattened head, and its body is oval-shaped with minimal dorsoventral compression. If they feel threatened, these newts secret a white, sticky, highly odorous substance, likely intended to deter predators.
Regrettably, the Montseny Brook newt is critically endangered, with fewer than 1,500 in the wild. Their survival is primarily challenged by the desiccation of their mountain stream habitats.