The Japanese fire-bellied newt (Cynops pyrrhogaster) consists of four distinct varieties, formally recognized together as a single species. Its upper body is dark and its lower regions bright red; coloration varies with age, genetics, and region. Adults are 8 to 15 cm (3 to 6 in) long. They are found on many Japanese islands. Their habitats include bodies of water, forests, and grasslands. They breed from spring to the beginning of summer. Eggs are laid separately, hatching after about three weeks. They grow from larval to juvenile form in five to six months. Juveniles eat soil-dwelling prey; adults eat insects, tadpoles, and the eggs of their own species. They have multiple adaptations to avoid predators, including containing tetrodotoxin, a neurotoxin. Several aspects of their biology have been studied, including their ability to regrow lost body parts. Currently, their population is declining, and they face threats from disease and the pet trade. They can be successfully kept in captivity.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_fire-bellied_newt

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1815:

Napoleon escaped from the Italian island of Elba (depicted), to which he had been exiled after the signing of the Treaty of Fontainebleau. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleon

1917:

The Original Dixieland Jass Band recorded "Livery Stable Blues", the first jazz single ever released. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Livery_Stable_Blues

2008:

In the first significant cultural visit from the United States to North Korea since the Korean War, the New York Philharmonic Orchestra performed in East Pyongyang Grand Theatre. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_New_York_Philharmonic_visit_to_North_Korea

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

beauty spot: 1. (archaic) A thing (especially an aspect of something) which is beautiful. 2. A natural mark on a person's skin, especially a freckle or mole on a woman's face. 3. (cosmetics, historical) A patch or spot drawn or placed on the face in order to heighten beauty. 4. (ornithology, archaic) Synonym of speculum (“a bright, lustrous patch of colour found on the wings of ducks and some other birds, usually situated on the distal portions of the secondary quills, and much more brilliant in the adult male than in the female”) 5. (chiefly Britain) A place noted for its beauty, especially its natural scenery. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/beauty_spot

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.   --Victor Hugo https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Victor_Hugo