Red-spotted Newt

New Hampshire designated the red-spotted newt (Notophthalmus viridescens) as the official state amphibian in 1985 after a two-year effort by high school students. Very common in New Hampshire, the Union Leader newspaper (April 25, 1985, p. 48) lists the red-spotted newt as "the perfect symbol for ensuring ecology in New Hampshire, as they exist predominantly in the rain and runoff sodden areas heavily affected by acid rain."