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I used to refer to these newts as "Tarichids", but that was actually a name I'd made up to group them together. Most people refer to them as a California or Oregon newt, so I adopted this convention. I'm still partial to scientific names.
The three similar newts of this genus are difficult to tell apart. Taricha torosa is the California Newt, often called the Oregon Newt. Taricha granulosa is sometimes called the Rough-Skinned Newt, and Taricha rivularis the Red-Bellied Newt. The common names are often applied interchangeably, and any of the newts may be confused in pet stores with fire-bellies (Pet shops sometimes identify as a fire-belly any newt that?s dark on top and orangey below).
These newts live in a little area of the northwestern United States, along the coast of Oregon and California. Many years ago, when many diverse newts were classified under the genus Triturus, the tarichids were thought to be one species, Triturus torosa. The studies of Victor Chandler Twitty (who wrote a book about it called Of Scientists And Salamanders) established four separate species: torosa, sierrae, rivularis, and granulosa. They are now known as Taricha torosa torosa, Taricha torosa sierrae, Taricha rivularis, and Taricha granulosa. (Sierrae was reduced to a subspecies).
A unique feature of the tarichids is the posture they take when frightened. These newts are a dull brown above and a bright yellow or red below, and they use this shocking color to frighten enemies; a scared Tarichid newt will curl backwards into almost a full circle, with back feet on the ground. I have never seen a newt do this -- my newts never have -- but I've seen pictures. One may be uploaded eventually.
