Lissotriton vulgaris

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AMPHIBIA	CAUDATA	SALAMANDRIDAE

Scientific Name:

Lissotriton vulgaris

Species Authority:

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Common Name/s:

English

–

Smooth Newt

Synonym/s:

Triturus vulgaris (Linnaeus, 1758)

Taxonomic Notes:

Further taxonomic studies are required on this species. Numerous subspecies exist.

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Published:

2009

Assessor/s:

Jan Willem Arntzen, Sergius Kuzmin, Trevor Beebee, Theodore Papenfuss, Max Sparreboom, Ismail H. Ugurtas, Steven Anderson, Brandon Anthony, Franco Andreone, David Tarkhnishvili, Vladimir Ishchenko, Natalia Ananjeva, Nikolai Orlov, Boris Tuniyev

Reviewer/s:

Cox, N. and Temple, H.J. (Global Amphibian Assessment)

Contributor/s:

Justification:
Listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution, tolerance of a broad range of habitats, presumed large population, and because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category.

History:

2004

–

Least Concern

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species is widespread through most of Europe (with the exception of the Iberian Peninsula from which it is absent). It ranges from Ireland and Great Britain, through west and central Europe and Scandinavia, south to Italy, the Balkans and northern and western Turkey, and east through much of the steppes of Ukraine and Russia. There is an isolated population in the Caucasus. The species occurs at elevations from sea level up to 2,150m asl (Austria).
Countries:	Native: Albania; Armenia (Armenia); Austria; Azerbaijan; Belarus; Belgium; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria; Croatia; Czech Republic; Denmark; Estonia; Finland; France; Georgia; Germany; Greece; Hungary; Ireland; Italy; Kazakhstan; Latvia; Luxembourg; Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of; Moldova; Montenegro; Netherlands; Norway; Poland; Romania; Russian Federation; Serbia (Serbia); Slovakia; Slovenia; Sweden; Switzerland; Turkey; Ukraine; United Kingdom
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	It is very common or numerous over much of its range.
Population Trend:	Stable

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	It is generally associated with woodland habitats, including deciduous, coniferous, mixed forests and dry forests and woodlands. This is an adaptable species also present in meadows, bushlands, parks, fruit gardens, many damp habitats and rural and urban areas. The species breeds in still and slow moving shallow waters and irrigation ditches; females lay 200-300 eggs. It is often recorded from modified habitats. Several hybrids with L. helveticus have been reported while hybridization with L. montandoni is quite common in syntopic populations
Systems:	Terrestrial; Freshwater

Habitat and Ecology:

It is generally associated with woodland habitats, including deciduous, coniferous, mixed forests and dry forests and woodlands. This is an adaptable species also present in meadows, bushlands, parks, fruit gardens, many damp habitats and rural and urban areas. The species breeds in still and slow moving shallow waters and irrigation ditches; females lay 200-300 eggs. It is often recorded from modified habitats. Several hybrids with L. helveticus have been reported while hybridization with L. montandoni is quite common in syntopic populations

Systems:

Terrestrial; Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	There are no major threats to this species. Localized threats to the species include general drainage, pollution and eutrophication of breeding sites, logging of forest surrounding breeding pools and the introduction of predatory fishes. In the former Soviet Union there is mass commercial collecting of this species for the pet trade. Within Turkey, construction and building along the Black Sea coastline might be impacting northern Turkish populations.

Major Threat(s):

There are no major threats to this species. Localized threats to the species include general drainage, pollution and eutrophication of breeding sites, logging of forest surrounding breeding pools and the introduction of predatory fishes. In the former Soviet Union there is mass commercial collecting of this species for the pet trade. Within Turkey, construction and building along the Black Sea coastline might be impacting northern Turkish populations.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	It is presumed to occur in numerous protected areas. It is listed in a number of Red Data Books and Lists and is both listed on Appendix III of the Berne Convention and protected by national legislation in parts of its range. In parts of this species range mitigation measures to reduce road kill have been established. Several of the recognized subspecies may qualify for a higher threat listing and should be assessed in the future following taxonomic clarification.

Conservation Actions:

It is presumed to occur in numerous protected areas. It is listed in a number of Red Data Books and Lists and is both listed on Appendix III of the Berne Convention and protected by national legislation in parts of its range. In parts of this species range mitigation measures to reduce road kill have been established. Several of the recognized subspecies may qualify for a higher threat listing and should be assessed in the future following taxonomic clarification.

Citation:	Jan Willem Arntzen, Sergius Kuzmin, Trevor Beebee, Theodore Papenfuss, Max Sparreboom, Ismail H. Ugurtas, Steven Anderson, Brandon Anthony, Franco Andreone, David Tarkhnishvili, Vladimir Ishchenko, Natalia Ananjeva, Nikolai Orlov, Boris Tuniyev 2009. Lissotriton vulgaris. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 19 May 2013.
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