Salamanders & Newts of Morocco
Rarely seen, often mistaken for lizards
Morocco’s two species of salamanders and newts are a sign of a time when Africa was joined to Europe. Both species trace their roots there and crossed over long ago. While the North African Fire Salamander went off to become its own species endemic to Morocco and Algeria, the Sharp-ribbed Newt can also be found in the Iberian Peninsula.
species
subspecies
Elusive animals, the 2 species rely on northern Morocco’s remaining pockets of humid habitat. They are facing challenges: prolonged droughts combined with ever-stronger habitat destruction are reducing an already fragile habitat, a reminder of the urgent need to conserve Morocco’s remaining humid habitats.
Salamandra algira atlanticaNorth African Fire SalamanderHow to identify a Salamander or Newt in Morocco
Morocco's Newts and Salamanders are harmless. Keep your distance, this guide is for identification, not to encourage the handling of harmless species.
1 Is it really a Salamander or a Newt?
COLLAGE: salamander, newt or lizard on whiteFour quick checks
- Bare and moist skin
- No claws, no scales
- No visible ear opening
- Not to be confused with lizards. Check the Lizards ID guide if you have a doubt!
2 Which species is it?
North African Fire Salamander
Salamandra algira
- Dark base coloration
- Usually yellow, orange or red dots or patches
- Very large and dark eyes
Sharp-ribbed Newt
Pleurodeles waltl
- Grey to brown base coloration
- Often a line of orange dots on the flanks
- Smaller eyes, with a more colourful iris
Salamanders & Newts of Morocco
Are Morocco’s salamanders poisonous or dangerous?
They have skin secretions that can irritate and deter predators, but they are completely harmless. Even so, they should not be handled: the skin of these species is especially delicate and sensitive to the oils on our hands.
How do I tell a salamander from a lizard?
A salamander is an amphibian: soft, moist, bare skin, no scales and no claws. They move slowly and are usually active at night, during the more humid period of the year. Lizards are reptiles: they have dry, scaly skin and clawed toes. For a more visual explanation, check out our Identification guide.
Are there salamanders in Africa, and where in Morocco can I see them?
Yes. Salamanders are rare across Africa, but Morocco is one of their strongholds: the North African Fire Salamander lives in the remaining pockets of humid habitat of northern Morocco.
Its four subspecies occupy different parts of the country, from Tangier’s surroundings and the Rif Mountains all the way to the northeast, in the Beni Iznassen mountain range. For more information you may check our Salamandra algira species account.
How do you say “salamander” in Morocco?
In Arabic it’s semendel, though few people would recognise the word, so it is rarely used. The salamander lives on instead in the Amazigh (Berber) and local Arabic of the northern regions where it is found, in names that are far more charming: many mean “the foot of the sky” (aḍar n genna, in the Rif) or “the bride of the rain” (ɛarus ech-chta, among the Jbala).
Both nod to the same habit: the salamander tends to appear during or just after the winter rains, as though it had fallen from the sky with them.
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The full list of Morocco's 2 salamander and newt species.
About this checklist
Our list follows the most recent reference checklist of Moroccan herpetofauna (Bouazza et al., 2021). We revise and expand it as new studies appear. For a small number of species, we have drawn our own conclusions in light of the latest data (endemism status, species boundaries).