The Lizard That Shoots Its Ribs Through Its Skin to Defend Itself

A Lizard That Turns Its Body Inside-Out

In the quiet rivers and ponds of Spain and Morocco lives a creature that looks ordinary at first glance — a slimy, gray amphibian gliding through the water with ease. But when danger strikes, it doesn’t run.

Instead, it does something straight out of a science fiction nightmare.

It pushes its ribs through its own skin, turning its bones into venom-tipped weapons.

Meet the Spanish ribbed newt (Pleurodeles waltl), an amphibian so bizarre that scientists once thought the reports were exaggerated. But it’s all true — and it’s one of the most extreme self-defense systems ever discovered in nature.

What Is the Spanish Ribbed Newt?

The Spanish ribbed newt is a large aquatic salamander that can grow up to 30 cm long. It has a smooth, grayish-brown body, small limbs, and a long tail used for swimming. Despite its lizard-like appearance, it’s not a reptile — it’s an amphibian, more closely related to frogs than to lizards.

This species is native to the Iberian Peninsula and parts of Morocco, and lives mostly in stagnant or slow-moving freshwater habitats like ponds, ditches, and shallow lakes.

It feeds on insects, worms, small fish, and crustaceans — but when it becomes the prey, it doesn’t run. It fights back from the inside out.

The Defense Mechanism – Bones as Blades

Here’s how it works:

When the ribbed newt feels threatened — say, by a bird or a snake — it contracts specific muscles around its ribcage, forcing the sharp tips of its ribs outward.

But instead of just stretching skin or poking beneath it, the ribs pierce through the skin, breaking through its own body wall to create sharp, needle-like spines that stick out along its sides.

These ribs are coated in a toxic, milky substance secreted from special skin glands, turning the exposed bones into venomous daggers.

The result?

Any predator trying to bite or grab the newt ends up getting stabbed by sharp, venom-laced bones.

How Does It Survive Its Own Attack?

You’d think stabbing yourself with your own bones would be fatal — or at least damaging. But the ribbed newt has evolved to withstand this brutal trick.

Its skin is extremely flexible and tough, designed to stretch and tear without bleeding or infection.

The rib tips exit through tiny natural openings in the skin, almost like built-in ports.

Once the threat is gone, the newt retracts its ribs, and the wounds heal quickly, often without visible scarring.

It’s one of the only known cases in nature where an animal intentionally wounds itself as part of its survival.

More Than Just a One-Trick Amphibian

As if that wasn’t strange enough, the Spanish ribbed newt has more surprises.

It can also regrow lost limbs and parts of its heart and brain — a trait shared with some other salamanders.

In captivity, it’s even been studied for its resistance to infections and radiation, making it a favorite subject in biological and medical research.

Fun fact?

This little lizard-like amphibian has even been sent into space multiple times by the European Space Agency to study how its regenerative powers react to microgravity.

So not only is it a living weapon — it’s also a space traveler.

Is It Dangerous to Humans?

Despite its venomous defense, the Spanish ribbed newt is harmless to humans.

Its toxin is designed for small predators, and it doesn’t attack unless directly threatened.

In fact, many people keep them as exotic pets — although most owners never witness the rib-shooting behavior unless the animal feels severely stressed (which is something responsible pet owners try to avoid).

The species is listed as “Near Threatened” due to habitat loss, pollution, and invasive predators, but conservation efforts are helping maintain stable populations.

Conclusion – The Creature That Fights With Its Own Skeleton

Nature is full of surprises, but few are as dramatic as the Spanish ribbed newt. It doesn’t rely on claws, venomous bites, or high-speed escapes. Instead, it turns its skeleton into a sword, its skin into armor, and its own body into a living weapon.

It’s a reminder that some of the most extraordinary adaptations in the animal kingdom come not from aggression or strength — but from creative survival.

When you’re small, slow, and squishy, it helps to have a few… sharp ideas.