Triturus cristatus

– Least Concern

Taxonomy

Kingdom:	ANIMALIA
Phylum:	CHORDATA
Class:	AMPHIBIA
Order:	CAUDATA
Family:	SALAMANDRIDAE
Scientific Name:	Triturus cristatus
Species Authority:	(Laurenti, 1768)
Synonym/s:	Turanomolge mensbieri Nikolsky, 1918
Common Name/s:	GREAT CRESTED NEWT (Eng) NORTHERN CRESTED NEWT (Eng) WARTY NEWT (Eng)
Taxonomic Notes:	Triturus cristatus formerly was considered to include four subspecies: T. cristatus cristatus, T. cristatus dobrogicus, T. cristatus karelinii and T. cristatus carnifex. These are now recognized as separate species of the Triturus cristatus superspecies, and the specific name Triturus cristatus (sensu stricto) is attributed to the former nominative subspecies. The exact ranges of members of the Triturus cristatus superspecies are unclear in the central Balkans.

Assessment Information

Red List Category & Criteria:

LC ver 3.1 (2001)

Year Assessed:

2004

Assessor/s:

Arntzen, J.W. et al. (see rationale for full list of assessors)

Evaluator/s:

Stuart, S., Chanson, J. & Cox, N. (Global Amphibian Assessment Coordinating Team)

Justification:

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

History:

1996

Lower Risk/conservation dependent (Baillie and Groombridge 1996)

Geographic Range

Range Description:	This species is widely distributed from the United Kingdom and northern France, through southern Scandinavia, and central Europe, to the southwestern part of West Siberia (Kurganskaya Province; records in Sverdlovskaya Province need verification). The presence of this species in southern Hungary requires verification and is not mapped here, as earlier records of T. cristatus are now believed to refer to other Triturus species (M. Puky pers. comm.). It has an altitudinal range from sea level to 1,750 m asl. (Arnold 2003).
Range Map:	(click for detailed map)
Countries:	Native: Austria; Belarus; Belgium; Czech Republic; Denmark; Estonia; France; Germany; Hungary; Latvia; Liechtenstein; Lithuania; Luxembourg; Moldova, Republic of; Netherlands; Norway; Poland; Romania; Russian Federation; Serbia; Slovakia; Sweden; Switzerland; Ukraine; United Kingdom

Population

Population:	Although the species is known to be declining or rare in parts of its distribution (e.g., Belgium, where only a few sites are known), it appears to remain relatively common in suitable habitats (although usually occurring in small numbers) over parts of its range.
Population Trend:

Habitat and Ecology

Habitat and Ecology:

It can be found in coniferous, mixed and deciduous forests (composed of pine, birch, oak, alder etc.), their glades and edges, in forest steppe, bush lands, pastures, meadows, parks and gardens. Reproduction in permanent stagnant and in semi-flowing waters such as ponds, rarely lakes, flooded quarries, irrigation channels and ditches. The usage of small ponds appears to be more typical in the southern part of its range and in the Carpathian Mountains than in the north. It can be found in modified habitat types, but this species is not considered to be very adaptable.

System:

Terrestrial; Freshwater; Marine

List of Habitats:

1.1	Forest - Boreal
1.4	Forest - Temperate
5.1	Wetlands (inland) - Permanent Rivers/Streams/Creeks (includes waterfalls)
5.4	Wetlands (inland) - Bogs, Marshes, Swamps, Fens, Peatlands
5.5	Wetlands (inland) - Permanent Freshwater Lakes (over 8ha)
5.7	Wetlands (inland) - Permanent Freshwater Marshes/Pools (under 8ha)
5.8	Wetlands (inland) - Seasonal/Intermittent Freshwater Marshes/Pools (under 8ha)
14.1	Artificial/Terrestrial - Arable Land
14.2	Artificial/Terrestrial - Pastureland
14.4	Artificial/Terrestrial - Rural Gardens
14.5	Artificial/Terrestrial - Urban Areas
15.1	Artificial/Aquatic - Water Storage Areas (over 8ha)
15.2	Artificial/Aquatic - Ponds (below 8ha)
15.5	Artificial/Aquatic - Excavations (open)
16	Introduced vegetation

Threats

Threats:

The species is sensitive to changes in water quality. Correspondingly, industrial pollution of water, destruction and drainage of ponds seem to be the most harmful factors for T. cristatus. The impact of natural factors such as ponds overgrowing, shallowing and eutrophication is harmful to urban populations and those near to the range margins. Introduced predatory fishes are leading to declines in some areas. In some parts of the range (of the former Soviet Union) there is substantial commercial collecting of this species for the pet trade.

List of Threats:

1.1.1.2	Habitat Loss/Degradation - Agriculture - Crops - Small-holder farming (ongoing)
1.1.1.3	Habitat Loss/Degradation - Agriculture - Crops - Agro-industry farming (ongoing)
1.1.4.2	Habitat Loss/Degradation - Agriculture - Livestock - Small-holder (ongoing)
1.1.4.3	Habitat Loss/Degradation - Agriculture - Livestock - Agro-industry (ongoing)
1.3.3.2	Habitat Loss/Degradation - Extraction - Wood - Selective logging (ongoing)
1.3.3.3	Habitat Loss/Degradation - Extraction - Wood - Clear-cutting (ongoing)
1.4.1	Habitat Loss/Degradation - Infrastructure development - Industry (ongoing)
1.4.2	Habitat Loss/Degradation - Infrastructure development - Human settlement (ongoing)
2.2	Invasive alien species (directly affecting the species) - Predators (ongoing)
3.5.1	Harvesting (hunting/gathering) - Cultural/scientific/leisure activities - Subsistence use/local trade (ongoing)
3.5.2	Harvesting (hunting/gathering) - Cultural/scientific/leisure activities - Sub-national/national trade (ongoing)
3.5.3	Harvesting (hunting/gathering) - Cultural/scientific/leisure activities - Regional/international trade (ongoing)
6.3.1	Pollution (affecting habitat and/or species) - Water pollution - Agriculture (ongoing)
6.3.2	Pollution (affecting habitat and/or species) - Water pollution - Domestic (ongoing)
6.3.3	Pollution (affecting habitat and/or species) - Water pollution - Commercial/Industrial (ongoing)
9.3	Intrinsic factors - High juvenile mortality (ongoing)

Conservation Actions

Conservation Actions:

Listed on Appendix II of the Berne Convention. Listed on Annexes II and IV of the EU Natural Habitats Directive. Protected by national legislation in many countries; recorded on many national and sub-national Red Data books and lists. Present in many protected areas. The are local conservation programmes for the species in parts of its range (eg. Poland).

List of Conservation Actions:

1.2.1.1	Policy-based actions - Legislation - Development - International level (in place, needed)
1.2.1.2	Policy-based actions - Legislation - Development - National level (in place, needed)
1.2.2.1	Policy-based actions - Legislation - Implementation - International level (in place, needed)
1.2.2.2	Policy-based actions - Legislation - Implementation - National level (in place, needed)
2.2	Communication and Education - Awareness (in place, needed)
3.2	Research actions - Population numbers and range (in place, needed)
3.3	Research actions - Biology and Ecology (in place, needed)
3.4	Research actions - Habitat status (in place, needed)
3.5	Research actions - Threats (in place, needed)
3.6	Research actions - Uses and harvest levels (in place, needed)
3.7	Research actions - Cultural relevance (in place, needed)
3.8	Research actions - Conservation measures (in place, needed)
3.9	Research actions - Trends/Monitoring (in place, needed)
4.1	Habitat and site-based actions - Maintenance/Conservation (in place, needed)
4.2	Habitat and site-based actions - Restoration (in place, needed)
4.4.2	Habitat and site-based actions - Protected areas - Establishment (in place, needed)
4.4.3	Habitat and site-based actions - Protected areas - Management (in place, needed)
5.1	Species-based actions - Re-introductions (in place, needed)
5.3.1	Species-based actions - Sustainable use - Harvest management (in place, needed)
5.3.2	Species-based actions - Sustainable use - Trade management (in place, needed)

Bibliography

Bibliography:

Amphibian Data. For additional documentation about utilization and CITES status, click on the Global Amphibian Assessment (GAA) link above to see the GAA account for this species or alternatively follow this link to the search function on the Global Amphibian Assessment web site and run your own search.

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Arnold, E.N. 2003. Reptiles and Amphibians of Europe. Princeton University Press, Princeton and Oxford.

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Arntzen, J.W. and Wallis, G.P. 1999. Geographic variation and taxonomy of crested newts (Triturus cristatus superspecies): morphological and mitochondrial DNA data. Contributions to Zoology 68: 181-203.

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Böhme, W, Grossenbacher, K. and Thiesmeier, B. 1999. Handbuch der Reptilien und Amphibien Europas, band 4/I:Schwanzlurche (Urodela). Aula-Verlag, Wiesbaden, Germany.

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Gasc, J.-P. (ed.) 1997. Atlas of Amphibians and Reptiles in Europe. Societas Europea Herpetologica & Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris.

Griffiths, R. 2001. The Crested Newt (Triturus cristatus): distribution, biology, ecology and protection: 11-12 November 2000, Rostock, Germany. FrogLog 44: 2.

Griffiths, R.A. 1996. Newts and Salamanders of Europe. Poyser Natural History, London.

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Grossenbacher, K. 1994. Rote Liste der gefährdeten Amphibien der Schweiz. In: BUWAL (ed.), Rote Liste der gefährdeten Tierarten in der Schweiz, pp. 33-34. BUWAL (Bundesamt für Umwelt, Wald und Landschaft), Bern.

Jehle, R. 2000. The terrestrial summer habitat of radio-tracked Great Crested Newts (Triturus cristatus) and Marbled Newts (T. marmoratus). Herpetological Journal 10(4): 137-142.

Joly, P., Miaud, C., Lehmann, A. and Grolet, O. 2001. Habitat matrix effect on pond occupancy in newts. Conservation Biology 15: 239-248.

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Kuzmin, S.L. 1996. Threatened amphibians in the former Soviet Union: the current situation and the main threats. Oryx 30: 24-30.

Kuzmin, S.L. 1999. The Amphibians of the Former Soviet Union. Pensoft, Sofia-Moscow.

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Macgregor, H.C. and Horner, H. 1980. Heteromorphism for Chromosome 1, a requirement for normal development in crested newts. Chromosoma 76: 111-122.

Miaud, C. 1994. Role of wrapping behavior on newt egg survival (Amphibia: Urodela) Triturus alpestris, T. helveticus and T. cristatus. Copeia 1994: 535-537.

Miaud, C. 1995. Oviposition site selection in three species of European newt (Salamandridae) genus Triturus. Amphibia-Reptilia 17: 2-8.

Miaud, C., Joly, P. and Castanet, J. 1993. Variation of age structures in a subdivided population of Triturus cristatus. Canadian Journal of Zoology 71: 1874-1879.

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Puky, M. 2000. A kétéltûek védelme Magyarországon (Conservation of amphibians in Hungary). In: S. Faragó (ed.), Gerinces állatfajok védelme (Conservation of vertebrate species), pp. 143-158. Nyugat-Magyarországi Egyetem Erdõmérnöki Kar, Sopron.

Puky, M. et al. 2003. Preliminary Herpetological Atlas of Hungary. Varangy Akciócsoport Egyesület, Budapest.

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Citation:	Arntzen, J.W. et al. 2004. Triturus cristatus. In: IUCN 2007. 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 11 May 2008.
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