**Description:** A unique amphibian with a complex life cycle; most famous for its bright orange terrestrial juvenile stage known as the "Red Eft."
**Size:** Adults reach 3 to 5 inches long.
**Life Cycle:** Terrestrial Red Efts live on land for up to 7 years before returning to the water to transform into greenish, aquatic adults.
**Identification:** Features rows of black-bordered red spots along the sides. Skin is drier to the touch than other salamanders.
**Behavior:** Their bright orange juvenile color acts as a warning (aposematism) that they are toxic to predators.
**Habitat:** Adults inhabit quiet ponds; Efts roam the damp forest floor.