Ichthyosaura alpestris (Laurenti, 1768)

Class: Amphibia > Order: Caudata > Family: Salamandridae > Subfamily: Pleurodelinae > Genus: Ichthyosaura > Species: Ichthyosaura alpestris

Triton alpestris Laurenti, 1768, Spec. Med. Exhib. Synops. Rept.: 38, 142. Type(s): By indication including specimen illustrated on Pl. 2, fig. 4 in the original publication. Type locality: "in Etschero monte" (= Etschero Mountain), northern Alps, west of Mariazell, Austria.

Proteus tritonius Laurenti, 1768, Spec. Med. Exhib. Synops. Rept.: 37, 140. Type(s): By indication including animal illustrated on Pl 2, Fig. 2 of the original publication. Type locality: "in lacu frigidissimo, qui est in alpe Etscher"; given as "Merano", Tyrol, Italy, by Eiselt, 1958, Abh. Ber. Naturkd. Magdeburg, 10: 130. Synonymy with Salamandra palustris by Schneider, 1799, Hist. Amph. Nat.: 60. Synonymy by Schreiber, 1875, Herpetol. Eur.: 75 (under Salamandra maculosa). Synonymy with Triton alpestris by Schmidtler, 2004, Sekretär, 4: 10–28, and Lescure, 2008, Bull. Soc. Herpetol. France, 126: 25–36.

Triton Wurfbainii Laurenti, 1768, Spec. Med. Exhib. Synops. Rept.: 38. Type(s): Not stated, but by indication including animal(s) described or figured in Wurffbainus, 1683, Salamandrologia: 54. Type locality: Not stated. Synonymy with Triton alpestris (as Triton wurfbeinii [sic]) by Schinz, 1833, Naturgesch. Abbild Rept.: 211 (presumably this first revision action gave Triton wurfbaini priority over Triton alpestris, but this conclusion awaits additional scrutiny; regardless, Triton wurfbainii is now a nomen oblitum—DRF). Synonymy by Bonaparte, 1840, Mem. Accad. Sci. Torino, Ser. 2, 2: 454; Gray, 1850, Cat. Spec. Amph. Coll. Brit. Mus., Batr. Grad.: 21; Dugès, 1852, Ann. Sci. Nat., Paris, Ser. 3, 17: 268; Duméril, Bibron, and Duméril, 1854, Erp. Gen., 9: 146.

Triton Salamandroides Laurenti, 1768, Spec. Med. Exhib. Synops. Rept.: 40. Type(s): By indication including specimen illustrated by "Wurfbain [= Wurffbainus, 1683, Salamandrologia], Tab. II, Fig. 4". Type locality: "Germania". Synonymy by Leydig, 1867, Arch. Naturgesch., 33: 198; Bonaparte, 1840, Mem. Accad. Sci. Torino, Ser. 2, 2: 454; Gray, 1850, Cat. Spec. Amph. Coll. Brit. Mus., Batr. Grad.: 21; Dugès, 1852, Ann. Sci. Nat., Paris, Ser. 3, 17: 268.

Lacerta (Triton) gyrinoides Merrem, 1789, Schr. Ges. Naturforsch. Freunde Berlin, 9: 194. Type(s): ZIUG by original designation, now in ZFMK if still extant. Type locality: "auf dem Heimberge in einem Sumpfe (das Lichtemeer genannt) gefunden bätte", near Duisberg, Germany. Synonymy with Triton wurfbainii by Merrem, 1820, Tent. Syst. Amph.: 187. Synonymy by Schinz, 1822, Thierr. Naturgesch., 2: 185 (under Triton wurfbainii), and Schinz, 1833, Naturgesch. Abbild Rept.: 211 (under Triton wurfbeinii [sic]); Bonaparte, 1840, Mem. Accad. Sci. Torino, Ser. 2, 2: 454; Gray, 1850, Cat. Spec. Amph. Coll. Brit. Mus., Batr. Grad.: 21.

Gecko gyrinoidesMeyer, 1795, Synops. Rept. Nov. Sist. Gen. Method.: 25.

Salamandra alpestrisSchneider, 1799, Hist. Amph. Nat.: 77; Bechstein, 1800, in Lacépède's Naturgesch. Amphib., 2: 260.

Salamandra ignea Bechstein, 1800, in Lacépède's Naturgesch. Amphib., 2: 260. Type(s): Not stated or known to exist. Type locality: Thüringen [Germany]. Synonymy by Leydig, 1867, Arch. Naturgesch., 33: 198; Schinz, 1833, Naturgesch. Abbild Rept.: 211; Bonaparte, 1840, Mem. Accad. Sci. Torino, Ser. 2, 2: 454; Gray, 1850, Cat. Spec. Amph. Coll. Brit. Mus., Batr. Grad.: 21.

Salamandra cincta Latreille, 1800 "An. VIII", Hist. Nat. Salamand. France: 31, 52. Type(s): Not stated but presumably originally in MNHNP. Type locality: "France". Named as a junior synonym or replacement name for Triton wurfbainii Laurenti, 1768 and Triton salamandroides Laurenti, 1768. Synonymy by Schinz, 1822, Thierr. Naturgesch., 2: 185; Leydig, 1867, Arch. Naturgesch., 33: 198; Gray, 1850, Cat. Spec. Amph. Coll. Brit. Mus., Batr. Grad.: 21.

Salamandra wurfbainiSonnini de Manoncourt and Latreille, 1801 "An. X", Hist. Nat. Rept., 2: 245.

Ichthyosaura tritonius —Latreille In Sonnini de Manoncourt and Latreille, 1801 "An. X", Hist. Nat. Rept., 4: 310.

Salamandra rubriventris Daudin, 1803 "An. XI", Hist. Nat. Gen. Part. Rept., 8: 239. Substitute name for Triton alpestris Laurenti, 1768. Synonymy by Leydig, 1867, Arch. Naturgesch., 33: 199; Gray, 1850, Cat. Spec. Amph. Coll. Brit. Mus., Batr. Grad.: 21; Dugès, 1852, Ann. Sci. Nat., Paris, Ser. 3, 17: 268; Duméril, Bibron, and Duméril, 1854, Erp. Gen., 9: 146.

Molge igneaMerrem, 1820, Tent. Syst. Amph.: 186.

Molge alpestrisMerrem, 1820, Tent. Syst. Amph.: 187. Boulenger, 1882, Cat. Batr. Grad. Batr. Apoda Coll. Brit. Mus., Ed. 2: 12.

Molge wurfbainiMerrem, 1820, Tent. Syst. Amph.: 186.

Triton igneus Goldfuss, 1820, Handb. Zool., 2: 130. Substitute name for Triton alpestris Laurenti, 1768.

Triton zonarius Millet de la Turtaudière, 1828, Fauna de Maine et Loire: 691. Substitute name for Salamandra cincta Latreille, 1800.

Triton WurfbeiniiSchinz, 1833, Naturgesch. Abbild Rept.: 211. Incorrect subsequent spelling.

Triton apuanus Bonaparte, 1839, Iconograph. Fauna Ital., 2 (Fasc. 26): pl. , fig.3. Type(s): Not stated or known to exist, although clearly including animal in figure 3 of the original publication. Type locality: Serravezza, Apuanen, northwestern Italy. Synonymy by Gray, 1850, Cat. Spec. Amph. Coll. Brit. Mus., Batr. Grad.: 21; Boulenger, 1882, Cat. Batr. Grad. Batr. Apoda Coll. Brit. Mus., Ed. 2: 12.

Triton alpestrisGray, 1850, Cat. Spec. Amph. Coll. Brit. Mus., Batr. Grad.: 21.

Triton alpestris apuanus — Gray, 1850, Cat. Spec. Amph. Coll. Brit. Mus., Batr. Grad.: 21.

Hemitriton alpestrisDugès, 1852, Ann. Sci. Nat., Paris, Ser. 3, 17: 263.

Triton neglectus Jan, 1857, Cenni Mus. Civ. Milano: 55. Type(s): MSNM. Type locality: "Apennini", Italy. Nomen nudum. Synonymy with Ichthyosaura alpestris by Schreiber, 1875, Herpetol. Eur.: 39.  

Triton (Hemitriton) alpestrisFatio, 1872, Fauna Vert. Suisse, 3: 541.

Molge alpestrisBoulenger, 1882, Cat. Batr. Grad. Batr. Apoda Coll. Brit. Mus., Ed. 2: 12.

Triton alpestris var. immaculatus Dürigen, 1897, Deutschl. Amph. Rept.: 628. Substitute name for Triton apuanus Bonaparte, 1839.

Triton (Triton) alpestrisWolterstorff, 1901, Feuille Jeunes Nat., Ser. 4, 31: 75.

Molge alpestris var. reiseri Werner, 1902, Verh. Zool. Bot. Ges. Wien, 52: 7. Syntypes: NHMW 22902.1–2, according to Häupl and Tiedemann, 1978, Kat. Wiss. Samml. Naturhist. Mus. Wien, 2: 11, Häupl, Tiedemann, and Grillitsch, 1994, Kat. Wiss. Samml. Naturhist. Mus. Wien, 9: 14, and Gemel, Gassner, and Schweiger, 2019, Ann. Naturhist. Mus. Wien, Ser. B, 121: 41, ZSM (SLM) 3401/1–2, according to Glaw and Franzen, 2006, Spixiana, München, 29: 157, and BMNH 1946.9.6.86 (formerly 1903.7.21.14) according to museum records. Type locality: "auf der Ostseite des Nadkrstac (2112 m) mit der Biela fromila (2071 m) in 1805 m Seehöhe gelegenen Lache, ferner in der Folge, und zwar bereits Anfans September, in völlig ausgebildeten Exemplaren längs der grasigen Ufer eines nahe der Schutzhütte am Prokosko jezero vorbeifliessenden Bächleins"; rendered as "See Prokosko bei Fojnica, Vranika Gebirge, Bosnien" by Mertens and Müller, 1928, Abh. Senckenb. Naturforsch. Ges., 41: 11. See comment by Glaw and Franzen, 2006, Spixiana, München, 29: 157, who regarded this a synonym of Mesotriton alpestris alpestrisŠunje, Stroil, Raffaëlli, Zimić, and Marquis, 2021, Amphibia-Reptilia, 42: 481–490, regarded it as a significant unit for purposes of conservation. 

Triton alpestris var. apuanus — Schreiber, 1912, Herpetol. Eur., Ed. 2: 95.

Triton alpestris var. Reiseri — Schreiber, 1912, Herpetol. Eur., Ed. 2: 98.

Triturus alpestrisDunn, 1918, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., 62: 453.

Molge Reiseri — Bolkay, 1919, Glasn. Zemaljskog Muz. Bosni Hercegov., 31: 3.

Triturus alpestris alpestrisMertens, 1923, Senckenb. Biol., 5: 213.

Triturus alpestris reiseri — Wolterstorff, 1925, Abh. Ber. Mus. Nat. Heimatkd. Magdeburg, 4: 266; Mertens and Müller, 1928, Abh. Senckenb. Naturforsch. Ges., 41: 11. Distinctiveness from Triturus alpestris alpestris rejected by Sotiropoulos, Tomovic, Džukić, and Kalezić, 2001, Herpetol. J., 11: 1–8.

Triton (Mesotriton) alpestrisBolkay, 1927, Glasn. Zemaljskog Muz. Bosni Hercegov., 39: 64; Bolkay, 1927, Zool. Anz., 72: 282.

Triton (Mesotriton) alpestris alpestrisBolkay, 1927, Glasn. Zemaljskog Muz. Bosni Hercegov., 39: 64; Bolkay, 1928, Z. Anat. Entwicklungesch., 86: 259.

Triton (Mesotriton) alpestris reiseri — Bolkay, 1927, Glasn. Zemaljskog Muz. Bosni Hercegov., 39: 64; Bolkay, 1928, Z. Anat. Entwicklungesch., 86: 259.

Triturus (= Triton) alpestris subsp. cyréni Wolterstorff, 1932, Zool. Anz., 97: 135. Holotype: MM NV39 a/31, destroyed in W.W.II, according to Brame and Gorham, 1972, Checklist Living & Fossil Salamand. World (Unpubl. MS): 88. Type locality: "Ercinasee" (= Lake Ercina), 1000 meters elevation, near Covadonga, Cantabres Mountains, nothwestern Spain.

Triturus (= Triton) alpestris subsp. apuana — Wolterstorff, 1934, Zool. Anz., 106: 34.

Triton alpestris subsp. ocellata Wolterstorff, 1934, Zool. Anz., 106: 36. Holotype: MM, by original designation; destroyed in W.W.II according to Brame and Gorham, 1972, Checklist Living & Fossil Salamand. World (Unpubl. MS): 87. Type locality: "Genua [= Genoa]", Italy. 

Triturus alpestris subsp. graeca Wolterstorff, 1934, Bl. Aquar. Terrarienkd., Stuttgart, 45: 253. Holotype: MM; destroyed in WWII; MNHNP 1985.472 designated neotype (of Triturus alpestris veluchiensis, the replacement name) by Breuil and Parent, 1988, Alytes, 7: 25. Type locality: "Veluchigebirge (westlich Lamia) aus ca. 2000 m. Höhe", Greece. Neotype from "mont Veluchi (1870 m)", Greece. Preocuppied by Triton vulgaris graeca Wolterstorff, 1905.

Triturus alpestris lacustris Seliskar and Pehani, 1935, Verh. Internatl. Ver. Limnol., Stuttgart, 7: 264, 268. Holotype: Not stated. Type locality: "Crno Jezero", territory of Triglav-stock, Julian Alps, Slovenia. Not Lacerta lacustris Blumenbach, 1821.

Triton alpestris lacusnigri Seliskar and Pehani, 1935, Verh. Internatl. Ver. Limnol., Stuttgart, 7: 267. Holotype: Not stated. Type locality: "Crno Jezero", territory of Triglav-stock, Julian Alps, Slovenia. Presumably a replacement name or alternative spelling for Triton alpestris lacustris (DRF).

Triturus alpestris veluchiensis Wolterstorff, 1935, Bl. Aquar. Terrarienkd., Stuttgart, 46: 164. Substitute name for Triturus alpestris graeca Wolterstorff, 1935.

Triturus alpestris lacus-nigriMertens and Müller, 1940, Abh. Senckenb. Naturforsch. Ges., 451: 9.

Triturus alpestris apuanus — Mertens and Müller, 1940, Abh. Senckenb. Naturforsch. Ges., 451: 9.

Triturus alpestris cyreniMertens and Müller, 1940, Abh. Senckenb. Naturforsch. Ges., 451: 9.

Triturus alpestris montenegrinus Radovanovic, 1951, Brit. J. Herpetol., 1: 94. Holotype: ZIUZ, by original designation. Type locality: "in the small lake of Bukumirsko, which lies south of the Komovi Mountains in Eastern Yugoslavia near the Albania border", now in Montenegro. Distinctiveness from Triturus alpestris alpestris rejected by Breuil and Guillaume, 1985 "1984", Bull. Soc. Zool. France, 109: 377–389, and Sotiropoulos, Tomovic, Džukić, and Kalezić, 2001, Herpetol. J., 11: 1–8.

Triturus alpestris winterli Sochurek, 1956, Lacerta, Den Haag, 14: 35. Syntypes: Not stated; ZMB 37723 (2 specimens) and NHMW 15204 (2 specimens) according to Bauer, Good, and Günther, 1993, Mitt. Zool. Mus. Berlin, 69: 297, Häupl and Tiedemann, 1978, Kat. Wiss. Samml. Naturhist. Mus. Wien, 2: 13, Häupl, Tiedemann, and Grillitsch, 1994, Kat. Wiss. Samml. Naturhist. Mus. Wien, 9: 17, and Gemel, Gassner, and Schweiger, 2019, Ann. Naturhist. Mus. Wien, Ser. B, 121: 44. Type locality: "Litzelhoferlacke Lacke tussen Stagor (2288 m) en het Törl (2052 m) in zuidoosten van de Kreuzeck-groep in Känten, Oostenrijk [= Austria]".

Triturus alpestris bükkiensis Dely, 1960, Acta Zool. Acad. Sci. Hungaricae, 5: 294, 300. Holotype: MNH 58.139.1. (formerly a13), by original designation. Type locality: "Montagne du Bükk Mountain, Jávorkút, Bolhás-patak", Hungary.

Triturus alpestris sátoriensis Dely, 1960, Acta Zool. Acad. Sci. Hungaricae, 5: 295, 310. Holotype: MNH 57.262.1. (formerly a33) by original designation. Type locality: "mont Sátor, Istvánkút, István-patak", Hungary.

Triturus alpestris lacus-nigriDely, 1960, Acta Zool. Acad. Sci. Hungaricae, 5: 293.

Triturus alpestris lacusnigri — Mertens and Wermuth, 1960, Amph. Rept. Europas: 25.

Triturus alpestris carpathicus Dely, 1960, Acta Zool. Acad. Sci. Hungaricae, 5: 295, 303. Holotype: MNH 58.63.1 (formerly a49), by original designation. Type locality: "Sinaïa, Roumanie [= Romania]".

Triturus alpestrisMertens and Wermuth, 1960, Amph. Rept. Europas: 23. 293.

Triturus alpestris serdarus Radovanovic, 1961, Zool. Anz., 166: 211. Holotype: ZIUZ, by original designation. Type locality: "Nur im Zminicko Jezero in Montenegro, [1788 meters elevation,]", Montenegro. Distinctiveness from Triturus alpestris alpestris rejected by Sotiropoulos, Tomovic, Džukić, and Kalezić, 2001, Herpetol. J., 11: 1–8.

Triturus alpestris piperianus Radovanovic, 1961, Zool. Anz., 166: 213. Holotype: ZIUZ, by original designation. Type locality: "Kapetanovo [Jezero, 1678 meters elevation] und Manito [Brnicko] Jezero [1773 meters elevation,] in Montenegro". Distinctiveness from Triturus alpestris alpestris rejected by Breuil and Guillaume, 1985 "1984", Bull. Soc. Zool. France, 109: 377–389, and Sotiropoulos, Tomovic, Džukić, and Kalezić, 2001, Herpetol. J., 11: 1–8.

Ichthyosaura alpestris bakonyiensis Dely, 1967, Fauna Hungariae, 20 (3): 1–80. Holotype: HNHM-HER-61.27.1, by original designation. Type locality: Ajka-Felsőcsinger, Bocskor Hill, Bakony Mountains, Veszprém County, Hungary. Attributed to the unpublished dissertation of Dely, 1964, by Vörös, Varga, Martínez-Solano, and Szabó, 2021, Acta Zool. Acad. Sci. Hungaricae, 67: 177–197.  

Triturus alpestris montenigrusSteward, 1969, Tailed Amph. Eur.: 39. Incorrect subsequent spelling.

Triturus alpestris inexpectatus Dubois and Breuil, 1983, Alytes, 2: 11. Holotype: MNHNP 1982.1275, by original designation. Type locality: "Lago dei Due Uómini, á l'ouest de Fagnano Castello (Calábria), altitude 1077 m, latitude 39°33´08"N, longitude 03° 34´15" E Roma", Italy. Distinctiveness from Triturus alpestris apuanus rejected by Sotiropoulos, Eleftherakos, Džukić, Kalezić, Legakis, and Polymeni, 2007, Mol. Phylogenet. Evol., 45: 211-226, Speybroeck, Beukema, and Crochet, 2010, Zootaxa, 2492: 1–27, Recuero, Buckley, García-París, Arntzen, Cogǎlniceanu, and Martínez-Solano, 2014, Mol. Phylogenet. Evol., 81: 207–220. Chiocchio, Bisconti, Zampiglia, Nascetti, and Canestrelli, 2017, Sci. Rep. (Nature, London), 7 (2955): 1–12, considered the taxon distinct. 

Triturus (Triturus) alpestrisMacGregor, Sessions, and Arntzen, 1990, J. Evol. Biol., 3: 329.

Mesotriton alpestrisGarcía-París, Montori, and Herrero, 2004, Fauna Iberica, 24: 170.

Mesotriton alpestris apuanus — García-París, Montori, and Herrero, 2004, Fauna Iberica, 24: 174.

Mesotriton alpestris alpestrisGarcía-París, Montori, and Herrero, 2004, Fauna Iberica, 24: 170; García-París, Monton, and Alonso-Zarazaga, 2004, in García-París et al. (eds.), Fauna Iberica, 24: 592; Litvinchuk, Zuiderwijk, Borkin, and Rosanov, 2005, Amphibia-Reptilia, 26: 317.

Mesotriton alpestris cyreniGarcía-París, Montori, and Herrero, 2004, Fauna Iberica, 24: 174; García-París, Monton, and Alonso-Zarazaga, 2004, in García-París et al. (eds.), Fauna Iberica, 24: 592.

Ichthyosaura alpestrisSchmidtler, 2004, Sekretär, 4: 23.

Ichthyosaura alpestris (alpestris) alpestrisDubois and Raffaëlli, 2009, Alytes, 26: 66.

Ichthyosaura alpestris cyreniDubois and Raffaëlli, 2009, Alytes, 26: 37.

Ichthyosaura alpestris alpestrisDubois and Raffaëlli, 2009, Alytes, 26: 37.

Ichthyosaura alpestris apuana — Dubois and Raffaëlli, 2009, Alytes, 26: 37.

Ichthyosaura alpestris inexpectata — Dubois and Raffaëlli, 2009, Alytes, 26: 37.

Ichthyosaura alpestris veluchiensis — Dubois and Raffaëlli, 2009, Alytes, 26: 37.

Ichthyosaura alpestris montenegrina — Dubois and Raffaëlli, 2009, Alytes, 26: 37.

Ichthyosaura alpestris carpathica — Dubois and Raffaëlli, 2009, Alytes, 26: 38.

Ichthyosaura alpestris (reiseri) veluchiensis — Dubois and Raffaëlli, 2009, Alytes, 26: 66.

Ichthyosaura alpestris (alpestris) apuana — Dubois and Raffaëlli, 2009, Alytes, 26: 66.

Ichthyosaura alpestris (alpestris) inexpectata — Dubois and Raffaëlli, 2009, Alytes, 26: 66.

Ichthyosaura alpestris (alpestris) cyreniDubois and Raffaëlli, 2009, Alytes, 26: 66.

Ichthyosaura alpestris reiseri — Dubois and Raffaëlli, 2009, Alytes, 26: 38.

Ichthyosaura alpestris (reiseri) carpathica — Dubois and Raffaëlli, 2009, Alytes, 26: 66.

Ichthyosaura alpestris (reiseri) montenegrina — Dubois and Raffaëlli, 2009, Alytes, 26: 66.

Ichthyosaura alpestris (reiseri) reiseri — Dubois and Raffaëlli, 2009, Alytes, 26: 66.

Ichthyosaura apuana apuana — Raffaëlli, 2018, Alytes, 36: 185; Raffaëlli, 2022, Salamanders & Newts of the World: 364. 

Ichthyosaura apuana inexpectata — Raffaëlli, 2018, Alytes, 36: 186. 

Ichthyosaura reiseri reiseri — Raffaëlli, 2018, Alytes, 36: 187. 

Ichthyosaura reiseri carpathica — Raffaëlli, 2018, Alytes, 36: 188. 

Ichthyosaura reiseri montenegrina — Raffaëlli, 2018, Alytes, 36: 189. 

Ichthyosaura veluchiensis — Raffaëlli, 2018, Alytes, 36: 190. 

English Names

Alpine Newt (Hellmich, 1962, Rept. Amph. Eur.: 39; Steward, 1969, Tailed Amph. Eur.: 39; Bruno, 1973, Natura, Milano, 64: 310; Arnold and Burton, 1978, Field Guide Rept. Amph. Brit. Eur.: 46; Ananjeva, Borkin, Darevsky, and Orlov, 1988, Dict. Amph. Rept. Five Languages: 33; Stumpel-Rienks, 1992, Ergänzungsband Handbuch Rept. Amph. Eur., Trivialnamen der Herpetofauna Eur.: 64; Kuzmin, 1999, Amph. Former Soviet Union: 170; Arnold, 2002, Rept. Amph. Eur., Ed. 2: 44).

Alpine Newt (Triturus alpestris alpestris: Steward, 1969, Tailed Amph. Eur.: 39).

Spanish Alpine Newt (Triturus alpestris cyreni: Steward, 1969, Tailed Amph. Eur.: 39).

Balkan Alpine Newt (Triturus alpestris lacusnigri: Steward, 1969, Tailed Amph. Eur.: 39).

Laurenti's Alpine Newt (Frank and Ramus, 1995, Compl. Guide Scient. Common Names Amph. Rept. World: 36).

Black Lake Alpine Newt (Ichthyosaura alpestris lacusnigriRaffaëlli, 2022, Salamanders & Newts of the World: 361).

Bakony Alpine Newt (Ichthyosaura alpestris bakonyiensisRaffaëlli, 2022, Salamanders & Newts of the World: 362).

Cantabrian Alpine Newt (Ichthyosaura alpestris cyreniRaffaëlli, 2022, Salamanders & Newts of the World: 363).

Italian Alpine Newt (Triturus alpestris apuanusSteward, 1969, Tailed Amph. Eur.: 39).

Appenine Alpine Newt (Ichthyosaura apuana apuanaRaffaëlli, 2022, Salamanders & Newts of the World: 364). 

Calabrian alpine Newt (Ichthyosaura apuana inexpectataRaffaëlli, 2022, Salamanders & Newts of the World: 364).

Greek Alpine Newt (Triturus alpestris veluchiensisSteward, 1969, Tailed Amph. Eur.: 39).

Prokosko Lake Alpine New (Triturus reiseri reiseriRaffaëlli, 2022, Salamanders & Newts of the World: 366).

Montenegran Alpine Newt (Triturus alpestris montenigrinusSteward, 1969, Tailed Amph. Eur.: 39).

Bosnian Alpine Newt (Triturus alpestris reiseriSteward, 1969, Tailed Amph. Eur.: 39).

Distribution

Northern Spain; northwestern France south to southern Italy, southern Denmark, southern Poland, Romania, western Belarus, western Ukraine, Pelopennesian Greece north to Slovenia, Serbia, Croatia, Kosovo, eastern Albania, and North Macedonia; introduced into southern England, Ireland, and New Zealand (near Waihi, Waikito). 

Geographic Occurrence

Natural Resident: Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine

Introduced: Ireland, New Zealand, United Kingdom

Comment

The taxonomy of this taxon is controversial. Prior to 2022 a number of mtDNA matrilines had been delimited. These were interpreted as subspecies by Dubois and Raffaëlli, 2009, Alytes, 26: 1–85, as subspecies, but subsequently by Raffaëlli, 2018, Alytes, 36: 178–193, for the most part as species and subspecies. Robbemont, van Veldhuijzen, Allain, Ambu, Boyle, Canestrelli, Ó Cathasaigh, Cathrine, Chiocchio, Cogǎlniceanu, Cvijanovíc, Dufresnes, Ennis, Gandola, Jablonski, Julian, Kranželić, Lukanov, Martínez-Solano, Montgomery, Naumov, O’Neill, North, Pabijan, Pushendorf, Salvi, Schmidt, Sotiropoulos, Stănescu, Stanković, Stapleton, Šunje, Szabolcs, Vacheva, Willis , Zimić, France, Meilink, Stark , Struijk, Theodoropoulos, de Visser, and Wielstra, 2023, Amphibia-Reptilia, 44: 347–361, however, noted the evidentiary limitations of mtDNA-only phylogenies even as they presented the largest mtDNA phylogeographic study of the taxon done so far. They suggested retaining Ichthyosaura as a single species, Ichthyosaura alpestris, pending the application of nuDNA evidence and study of contact zones. In addition, they noted inconsistencies between the tree and name terminals. This arrangement is adopted here.  Lanza, 1983, Guide Reconoscimento Spec. Animali, Anf. Rett.: 70–73, reported on the Italian populations. See Breuil and Guillaume, 1985 "1984", Bull. Soc. Zool. France, 109: 377–389, and Breuil and Parent, 1988, Alytes, 7: 19–43, for subspecies. Barbadillo-Escrivá, 1987, Guia INCAFO Anf. Rept. Peninsula Iberica: 110–114, provided an account for the Iberian populations. Obst in Engelmann, Fritzsche, Günther, and Obst, 1993, Lurche Kriechtiere Eur.: 89–90, provided a brief account (informative about subspecies), figure, and map. See also discussion of relevant literature and distribution by Zuiderwijk, 1997, in Gasc et al. (eds.), Atlas Amph. Rept. Eur.: 72–73. Arano and Astudillo, 1997, in Pleguezuelos (ed.), Dist. Biogeogr. Anf. Rep. Esp. Portugal: 115–116, provided a brief account, photograph, and detailed map for Iberia. Kuzmin, 1999, Amph. Former Soviet Union: 170–174, and Kuzmin, 2013, Amph. Former Soviet Union, Ed. 2: 95–97, provided accounts for the former USSR. See account by Thorn and Raffaëlli, 2000, Salamand. Ancien Monde: 275–287. Denoël, Duguet, Džukić, Kalezić, and Mazzotti, 2001, J. Biogeograph., 28: 1271–1280, discussed the biogeography of paedomorphic populations. Arnold, 2002, Rept. Amph. Eur., Ed. 2: 44–45, provided a brief account and polygon map. Lever, 2003, Naturalized Rept. Amph. World: 228–229, discussed the introduced population in southern England. See account by Roček, Joly, and Grossenbacher, 2003, in Grossenbacher and Thiesmeier (eds.), Handbuch Rept. Amph. Eur., 4(IIA): 607–656. Naumov, 2005, Acta Zool. Bulgarica, 57: 391, provided records for Bulgaria. Pabijan and Babik, 2006, Mol. Ecol., 5: 2397–2407, reported on landscape genetics in southern Poland.  Raffaëlli, 2007, Les Urodèles du Monde: 110–111, provided brief accounts by subspecies, photographs, and a map. See detailed account (as Mesotriton alpestris) by Andreone, Tripepi, and Vanni, 2007, in Lanza et al. (eds.), Fauna d'Italia, 42 (Amph.): 254–265, for Italian population. Sotiropoulos, Eleftherakos, Džukić, Kalezić, Legakis, and Polymeni, 2007, Mol. Phylogenet. Evol., 45: 740–747, reported on mtDNA-inferred biogeographic patterns among populations. See detailed account (as Mesotriton alpestris) by Andreone, Tripepi, and Vanni, 2007, in Lanza et al. (eds.), Fauna d'Italia, 42 (Amph.): 254–265, for Italian population. Valakos, Pafilis, Sotiropoulos, Lymberakis, Maragou, and Foufopoulos, 2008, Amph. Rept. Greece: 155–158, provided an account for Greece. Dubois and Raffaëlli, 2009, Alytes, 26: 37–38, discussed the nominal subspecies. Ivanović, Sotiropoulos, Džukić, and Kalezić, 2009, Zoomorphology, 128: 157–167, reported on the noncorrespondence of skull morphology and molecular phylogeny. Pabijan, Rożej, and Bonk, 2009, Herpetol. Notes, 2: 23–26, reported on an isolated population in central Poland. van Delft, 2009, in Creemers and van Delft (eds.), Amph. Rept. Nederland: 96–104, provided a detailed discussion of this species (as Mesotriton alpestris) in the Netherlands. Speybroeck, Beukema, and Crochet, 2010, Zootaxa, 2492: 4–5, discussed misgivings about the subspecific taxonomy of this taxon. Thiesmeier and Schulte, 2010, Der Bergmolch: 1–159, monographed the species. Stojanov, Tzankov, and Naumov, 2011, Die Amph. Rept. Bulgariens: 97–103, provided a fairly detailed account (as Ichthyosaura alpestris) and range map for Bulgaria. Raffaëlli, 2013, Urodeles du Monde, 2nd ed.: 127–130, provided a brief set of accounts, photos, and map. Recuero, Buckley, García-París, Arntzen, Cogǎlniceanu, and Martínez-Solano, 2014, Mol. Phylogenet. Evol., 81: 207–220, reported on the phylogenetics/phylogeography of the species on the basis of nu and mtDNA and allozymes, suggesting multiple lineages. Arntzen, King, Denoël, Martínez-Solano, and Wallis, 2016, Herpetol. J., 26: 49–56, discussed the origin of introduced populations in southern France and New Zealand as elucidated by mtDNA analysis. Speybroeck, Beukema, Bok, and Van Der Voort, 2016, Field Guide Amph. Rept. Brit. Eur.: 94–96, provided a brief account and distribution map. Szabolcs, Mizsei, Jablonski, Vági, Mester, Végvári, and Lengyel, 2017, Amphibia-Reptilia, 38: 435–448, provided a dot map and discussion of range in Albania. Luqman, Muller, Vaupel, Brodbeck, Bolliger, and Gugerli, 2018, Conserv. Genetics, 19: 673–685, reported on landscape genetics in Switzerland. Sparreboom, 2014, Salamanders Old World: 213–217, reviewed the biology, characteristics, distribution, reproduction, and conservation of the species (see p. 201 for photographs and map of subspecies). See Speybroeck, Beukema, Dufresnes, Fritz, Jablonski, Lymberakis, Martínez-Solano, Razzetti, Vamberger, Vences, Vörös, and Crochet, 2020, Amphibia-Reptilia, 41: 143–144, for taxonomic comments. Novarini and Tagliapietra, 2020, Boll. Mus. Civ. Stor. Nat. Venezia, 71: 129–131, reported an introduced population in Venice, Italy, of unknown species identification in the current taxonomy. Vörös, Varga, Martínez-Solano, and Szabó, 2021, Acta Zool. Acad. Sci. Hungaricae, 67: 177–197, reported on mtDNA diversity (in the older more inclusive sense of Ichthyosaura alpestris) as evidence of Pleistocene refugia and redescribed and rediagnosed Ichthyosaura alpestris bakonyiensisŠunje, Stroil, Raffaëlli, Zimić, and Marquis, 2021, Amphibia-Reptilia, 42: 481–490, reported on the mtDNA monophyly of nominal Ichthyosaura alpestris reiseri and considered it a significant unit for purposes of conservation. Raffaëlli, 2022, Salamanders & Newts of the World: 359–371, provided species and subspecies accounts, summarizing systematics, life history, population status, and distribution (including a polygon map). Tzoras, 2023, Reptiles & Amphibians, 30 (e18698): 1–4, provided a dot map and habitat descriptions from the northwestern Pelopennese Peninsula, Greece. 

External links:

Please note: these links will take you to external websites not affiliated with the American Museum of Natural History. We are not responsible for their content.