In Marvel Comics’ X-Men, the character called Wolverine has sharp claws hidden beneath his skin. When threatened, the claws slice through the skin on his hands and can be used as weapons, and the skin heals when he retracts them again. This seems like pure fantasy, but there is actually a species of newt that
In Marvel Comics’ X-Men, the character called Wolverine has sharp claws hidden beneath his skin. When threatened, the claws slice through the skin on his hands and can be used as weapons, and the skin heals when he retracts them again.
This seems like pure fantasy, but there is actually a species of newt that uses this strange form of defense!
The Spanish ribbed newt has a row of wart-like bumps down each side. It looks harmless enough, but if you threaten the newt or try to pick it up, the newt’s ribs swing outward on the strange hinged joints that connect each rib to the newt’s spine. The razor sharp tips of the ribs tear through the warts to poke through the newt’s skin, picking up a coating of skin poisons as they do so and delivering a nasty toxic prick to its attacker.
Newts and other amphibians have a natural ability to heal, but the ribbed newt also has special protiens on its ribs that help promote healing; the same proteins that help human heal after burns. That means that each time the newt deploys its hidden ribcage weapon, the skin heals quickly after and the ribs slice through new skin each time. The newt doesn’t even seem to feel it!
Finally, the newts also have a very powerful immune system that stops the cuts from getting infected. It almost seems as though it really does have super powers. That’s one awesome amphibian!
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