Newt nanny?

[marcus]

Has anybody heard something about social newts?
During a lecture on ethology, I got word about salamanders that has a "helper", that is, an individual that help the parent(s) to take care of the offspring. This behaviour is common among birds and mammals but salamanders? I didn´t got to know the species but has anyone heard about this? What species could it be and what assistance could to helper bring? Helpers among birds and mammals help with protection and food gathering but salamander parents usually aren´t that considerate so its difficult to imagine a helper doing that....

The lecturer also mentioned fossils that seemed to indicate that social amphibians have existed in the past but he was not able to tell me more.
If somebody has heard about this it would be interesting to learn more....

 

[brian]

Well did he list a family or a genus? Never heard about an actual helper after birth although I do know of reports of Aneides lugubris being found in groups.

 

[marcus]

Nope, the only thing he could tell me was that it lived in a "difficult" environment, possibly arid and that was likely the reason that helpers existed....

 

[brian]

Well a few Batrachoseps have group egg laying, but no parental care. I know of a few "arid" California and New Mexico salamanders, but none fit the bill.