Known for being one of the most toxic animals in the United States, the California Newt contains a lethal neurotoxin in its skin that is often fatal to would be predators. | Coyote Peterson

What’s in a name? The emperor newt’s moniker comes from the Mandarin words "shan" (mountain) and "jing" (spirit or demon). This highly toxic amphibian lives only in the mountains along a handful of rivers in western China. During the breeding season, they live in water fields, like rice paddies, ponds or humid grasslands. | Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute