Lissotriton vulgaris
Silhouette: Kryp · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
The smooth newt, European newt, northern smooth newt or common newt (Lissotriton vulgaris) is a species of newt. It is widespread in Europe and parts of Asia, and has also been introduced to Australia. Individuals are brown with a spotted underside that ranges in colour from orange to white. They reach an average length of 8–11 cm (3.1–4.3 in), with males being larger than females. The newts' skins are dry and velvety when they are living on land, but become smooth when they migrate into the water to breed. Males develop a more vivid colour pattern and a conspicuous skin seam (crest) on their back during the breeding season.
The smooth newt was originally described by Carl Linnaeus as a lizard, and was then given different genus names before being classified as a member of Lissotriton. There are currently three accepted subspecies of smooth newt. Formerly, there were also four subspecies—all with more restricted ranges that are now classified as separate species, because they have been found to be distinct genetically as well as in appearance: the Caucasian smooth newt, the Greek smooth newt, Kosswig's smooth newt and Schmidtler's smooth newt. Together with these four species and the Carpathian newt, the smooth newt forms what is known as a species complex: some of the species hybridise with each other.
For most of the year, smooth newts live on land, are mostly nocturnal, and hide during the day. They can adapt to a wide range of natural or semi-natural habitats, from forests at field edges to parks and gardens. Their diet consists mainly of invertebrates such as insects and earthworms and they are mainly preyed upon by fish, birds and snakes. Between spring and summer, they breed in ponds or similar bodies of water. Males court females with a ritualised underwater display. Females lay their eggs on water plants, and larvae hatch after 10 to 20 days. The larvae develop for around three months before metamorphosing into terrestrial juveniles, at which point they become known as efts. They reach maturity after two to three years, and the adults live for up to 14 years.
The smooth newt is abundant over much of its range and is classified as a species of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). However, it has been negatively affected by habitat destruction and fragmentation, as well as the introduction of new species of fish. Like other European amphibians, the smooth newt has now been listed as a protected species by the Berne Convention. Wikipedia →
Recording0:10
Sweden · 2021
© Elin Korall · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kiskunság National Park | 🇭🇺 Hungary | |
| 2 | Snowdonia National Park | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 3 | Wadden Sea National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 4 | Bavarian Forest National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 5 | Fertő-Hanság National Park | 🇭🇺 Hungary |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | London | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 2 | Liverpool | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 3 | Birmingham | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 4 | Copenhagen | 🇩🇰 Denmark | |
| 5 | Vienna | 🇦🇹 Austria | |
| 6 | Budapest | 🇭🇺 Hungary | |
| 7 | Manchester | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 8 | Berlin | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 9 | Essen | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 10 | Prague | 🇨🇿 Czechia |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Slimbridge Wetland Centre | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 2 | Alpenzoo Innsbruck | 🇦🇹 Austria |
No species of the same family or order lives in Saint Petersburg, so these are its closest relatives here: other amphibians.
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Smooth Newt sighting in Saint Petersburg on a given day, based on 28 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 3rd most-seen of the 6 amphibians we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
April–May and July–September
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Smooth Newt in Saint Petersburg on a given day, against under 5% in June and October–March, the lowest months.
Between 7 and 10 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Smooth Newt sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is most active around dawn and dusk.
23rd of 24
Of the 24 cities where we can rate Smooth Newt sightings, Saint Petersburg ranks 23rd at under 5%. The best odds are in London (United Kingdom, about 30%), Liverpool (United Kingdom, about 30%) and Birmingham (United Kingdom, about 30%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Smooth Newt is recorded against all the amphibians logged in Saint Petersburg (28 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
