Lissotriton vulgaris (Linnaeus, 1758)

Class: Amphibia > Order: Caudata > Family: Salamandridae > Subfamily: Pleurodelinae > Genus: Lissotriton > Species: Lissotriton vulgaris

Lacerta vulgaris Linnaeus, 1758, Syst. Nat., Ed. 10, 1: 206. Type(s): Not stated or known to exist. Type locality: "Europa"; restricted to "Schweden" by Mertens and Müller, 1928, Abh. Senckenb. Naturforsch. Ges., 41: 13.

Lacerta aquatica Linnaeus, 1758, Syst. Nat., Ed. 10, 1: 206. Type(s): Including animal figured by Gronovius, 1756, Mus. Ichthyol. 2Seba, 1734, Locuplet. Rer. Nat. Thesaur. Descript. Icon. Exp. Univ. Phys. Hist., 2: 15, pl. 12, fig. 7, and : 265, and although Gessner, 1620, Hist. Animal. IV.: 31, was noted in the original, no specimens were there noted (see Bauer, 2012, in Bell (ed.), Bibliotheca Herpetol., 9: 61, for discussion). Type locality: "Europae". Synonymy by Gray, 1850, Cat. Spec. Amph. Coll. Brit. Mus., Batr. Grad.: 25; Camerano, 1885, Mem. Accad. Sci. Torino, Ser. 2, 36: 438. Synonymy with Triton cristatus by Schinz, 1833, Naturgesch. Abbild Rept.: 209.

Lacerta palustris Linnaeus, 1758, Syst. Nat., Ed. 10, 1: 201. Type(s): likely including specimens from ZMUU, also including specimens noted by indication, including those figured by Seba, 1734, Locuplet. Rer. Nat. Thesaur. Descript. Icon. Exp. Univ. Phys. Hist., 1: pl. 89, fig. 4–5 (as Lacerta americana). Type locality: "Europae". Synonymy with Triton palmatus by Schinz, 1833, Naturgesch. Abbild Rept.: 211. Synonymy (with Lacerta vulgaris) by Gray, 1850, Cat. Spec. Amph. Coll. Brit. Mus., Batr. Grad.: 19. Synonym (with Triton cristatus Laurenti, 1768) by Schinz, 1833, Naturgesch. Abbild Rept.: 209; Boulenger, 1882, Cat. Batr. Grad. Batr. Apoda Coll. Brit. Mus., Ed. 2: 8; Hecht, 1933 "1932", Sitzungsber. Ges. Naturforsch. Freunde Berlin, 1932: 377–380.

Triton palustris Laurenti, 1768, Spec. Med. Exhib. Synops. Rept.: 39, 145. Types: Including animal figured on pl. 4, fig. 2 of the original and specimens in the "Museo Turriano". Type locality: "circa Viennam in aquis stagnantibus. b [beta] in Martinica" (p. 39) and "stagnis Danubialibus" (p. 146). Questionable whether this name represents a new name or merely a use of Triton palustris Linnaeus (DRF). Synonymy with Triton taeniatus by Leydig, 1867, Arch. Naturgesch., 33: 212.

Triton parisinus Laurenti, 1768, Spec. Med. Exhib. Synops. Rept.: 40. Type(s): By indication including specimens described in "Act. Reg. Paris. 1729" [publication not yet traced—DRF]. Type locality: Not stated, although in the Paris region by implication of the name. Synonymy with Salamandra taeniata Schneider by Gravenhorst, 1807, Vergleich. Uebersicht Linn. Neuern Zool. Syst.: 431, and Leydig, 1867, Arch. Naturgesch., 33: 212; (with Molge punctata by Merrem, 1820, Tent. Syst. Amph.: 186, and Schinz, 1822, Thierr. Naturgesch., 2: 184; with Lophinus punctatus by Gray, 1850, Cat. Spec. Amph. Coll. Brit. Mus., Batr. Grad.: 25. Synonymy by Duméril, Bibron, and Duméril, 1854, Erp. Gen., 9: 142; Boulenger, 1882, Cat. Batr. Grad. Batr. Apoda Coll. Brit. Mus., Ed. 2: 14.

Salamandra exigua Laurenti, 1768, Spec. Med. Exhib. Synops. Rept.: 41, 148. Type(s): Including specimen illustrated by Laurenti, 1768, Spec. Med. Exhib. Synops. Rept.: Pl. 3, fig. 4. Type locality: "vallis humidis, & ad sepes fruticosas, subtus lutosas circa Viennam", Austria. Synonymy with Triton taeniatus by Leydig, 1867, Arch. Naturgesch., 33: 212. Synonymy with Lophinus punctatus by Gray, 1850, Cat. Spec. Amph. Coll. Brit. Mus., Batr. Grad.: 27. Synonymy with Molge vulgaris by Boulenger, 1882, Cat. Batr. Grad. Batr. Apoda Coll. Brit. Mus., Ed. 2: 14.

Gecko triton Meyer, 1795, Synops. Rept. Nov. Sist. Gen. Method.: 24. Types: not stated or known to exist. Type locality: not stated. Synonymy by Schreiber, 1875, Herpetol. Eur.: 24.

Gecko aquaticusMeyer, 1795, Synops. Rept. Nov. Sist. Gen. Method.: 22.

Salamandra taeniata Schneider, 1799, Hist. Amph. Nat.: 58. Substitute name for Triton parisinus Laurenti, 1768; not Salamandra maculosa var. taeniata Dürigen, 1897. Synonymy by Merrem, 1820, Tent. Syst. Amph.: 186; Schinz, 1822, Thierr. Naturgesch., 2: 178 (with Salamandra punctata); Duméril, Bibron, and Duméril, 1854, Erp. Gen., 9: 142; Boulenger, 1882, Cat. Batr. Grad. Batr. Apoda Coll. Brit. Mus., Ed. 2: 14. Synonymy with Triton exiguus by Schinz, 1833, Naturgesch. Abbild Rept.: 212.

Salamandra palustrisSchneider, 1799, Hist. Amph. Nat.: 60. Based on specimens of Triturus cristatus according to Gray, 1850, Cat. Spec. Amph. Coll. Brit. Mus., Batr. Grad.: 19. S

Salamandra abdominalis Latreille, 1800 "An. VIII", Hist. Nat. Salamand. France: 29, 50. Type(s): Not stated; presumably MNHNP, but including animals figured in the original publication. Type locality: Not stated but clearly within France. Synonymy (with Lophinus punctatus) by Gray, 1850, Cat. Spec. Amph. Coll. Brit. Mus., Batr. Grad.: 25. Synonymy with Triton exiguus by Schinz, 1833, Naturgesch. Abbild Rept.: 212. Synonymy with Triton taeniatus by Leydig, 1867, Arch. Naturgesch., 33: 212. Synonymy with Triturus vulgaris by Boulenger, 1882, Cat. Batr. Grad. Batr. Apoda Coll. Brit. Mus., Ed. 2: 14, and Thireau, 1987, Bull. Liaison Mus. Hist. Nat., Suppl., 71: 1.

Salamandra punctata Latreille, 1800 "An. VIII", Hist. Nat. Salamand. France: 31, 53. Substitute name for Triton parisinus Laurenti, 1768). Synonymy by Duméril, Bibron, and Duméril, 1854, Erp. Gen., 9: 142.

Lacerta triton Retzius, 1800, Fauna Svec., ed. 3, 1: 288. Substitute name for Triton cristatus Laurenti, 1768 and Triton parisinus Laurenti, 1768).

Salamandra elegans Daudin, 1803 "An. XI", Hist. Nat. Gen. Part. Rept., 8: 255. Type(s): In Daudin's personal collection; presumably to MNHNP. Type locality: "environs de Beauvais", France. Not Salamandra elegans Lesson, 1839. Tentative synonymy with Salamandra palmata by Merrem, 1820, Tent. Syst. Amph.: 187. Synonymy with Triton taeniatus by Leydig, 1867, Arch. Naturgesch., 33: 212.

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

Molge palustrisMerrem, 1820, Tent. Syst. Amph.: 187. Based on specimens of Triturus cristatus according to Gray, 1850, Cat. Spec. Amph. Coll. Brit. Mus., Batr. Grad.: 19.

Molge cinerea Merrem, 1820, Tent. Syst. Amph.: 183. Substitute name for Lacerta vulgaris Linnaeus, 1758. Synonymy by Gray, 1850, Cat. Spec. Amph. Coll. Brit. Mus., Batr. Grad.: 25; Duméril, Bibron, and Duméril, 1854, Erp. Gen., 9: 142.

Triton taeniatusGoldfuss, 1820, Handb. Zool., 2: 130. Wagler, 1830, Nat. Syst. Amph.: 208; Leydig, 1867, Arch. Naturgesch., 33: 169.

Lacerta taeniataSturm, 1828, Deutschl. Fauna, Amph.: tab. a, b, c.

Triton abdominalisMillet de la Turtaudière, 1828, Fauna de Maine et Loire: 690. Bibron and Bory de Saint-Vincent, 1833, in Bory de Saint Vincent (ed.), Exped. Morée, 3(Part 1, Zool. 1): 15.

Triton vulgarisFleming, 1828, Hist. Brit. Animals: 158. Schreiber, 1912, Herpetol. Eur., Ed. 2: 85.

Triton aquaticusFleming, 1828, Hist. Brit. Animals: 158.

Triton punctatusMillet de la Turtaudière, 1828, Fauna de Maine et Loire: 687. Bonaparte, 1832, Iconograph. Fauna Ital., 2 (Fasc. 1): 4.

Molge taeniataGravenhorst, 1829, Delic. Mus. Zool. Vratislav., 1: 76.

Salamandra vulgaris — Gray In Cuvier, 1831, Animal Kingdom (Griffith), 9: 106.

Salamandra lacepedii Andrzejowski, 1832, Nouv. Mem. Soc. Imp. Nat. Moscou, 2: 345. Type(s): Not known to exist. Type locality: Wolhynien [Ukraine].

Triton (Geotriton) exiguusBonaparte, 1832, Iconograph. Fauna Ital., 2 (Fasc. 1): pl. 83.

Triton exiguus —  Schinz, 1833, Naturgesch. Abbild Rept.: 212.

Triton lobatus Otth In Tschudi, 1838, Classif. Batr.: 95. Nomen nudum. Synonymy (with Lacerta taeniata Wolf, 1828) by Leydig, 1867, Arch. Naturgesch., 33: 212, and Schreiber, 1875, Herpetol. Eur.: 24; with Triton vulgaris by Boulenger, 1882, Cat. Batr. Grad. Batr. Apoda Coll. Brit. Mus., Ed. 2: 14; Camerano, 1885, Mem. Accad. Sci. Torino, Ser. 2, 36: 438.

Lissotriton punctatusBell, 1839, Hist. Brit. Rept.: 132.

Lophinus punctatusGray, 1850, Cat. Spec. Amph. Coll. Brit. Mus., Batr. Grad.: 27.

Triton laevis Higginbottom, 1853, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., Ser. 2, 12: 370. Type(s): Not stated, but possibly deposted in BMNH. Type locality: "England". Name coined explicitly as a descriptive name and as a junior synonym of Triton palmipes—Bell.

Pyronicia punctataGray, 1858, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1858: 141.

Triton (Lissotriton) lobatusFatio, 1872, Fauna Vert. Suisse, 3: 557.

Molge vulgarisBoulenger, 1882, Cat. Batr. Grad. Batr. Apoda Coll. Brit. Mus., Ed. 2: 14.

Molge vulgaris var. meridionalis Boulenger, 1882, Cat. Batr. Grad. Batr. Apoda Coll. Brit. Mus., Ed. 2: 16. Syntypes: BMNH 1882.1.1.9.1k–m and 1882.7.17.20–22 according to museum records. . Type locality: "Turin", Italy, and "Görz", Austria; restricted by Mertens and Müller, 1940, Abh. Senckenb. Naturforsch. Ges., 451: 11, to "Turin", Italy. See comment. 

Triton (Triton) vulgarisWolterstorff, 1901, Feuille Jeunes Nat., Ser. 4, 31: 76.

Molge vulgaris subsp. kapelana Méhely, 1904, Allatt. Kozl., Budapest, 3: 260 (also described as new by Méhely, 1905, Ann. Hist. Nat. Mus. Natl. Hungarici, 3: 277). Syntypes: Including NHMW 22859.1–2, according to Häupl, Tiedemann, and Grillitsch, 1994, Kat. Wiss. Samml. Naturhist. Mus. Wien, 9: 17. Type locality: "Kapela", Croatia; restricted to "Mrkopalj, Comitat Modruz-Fiume, Kroatien" by Mertens and Müller, 1928, Abh. Senckenb. Naturforsch. Ges., 41: 13. Synonymy with Molge meridionalis by Boulenger, 1905, Zool. Rec., 41: 39. .

Triton vulgaris subsp. typica forma kammereri Wolterstorff, 1907, Zool. Anz., 31: 710. Type(s): MM; by implication; destroyed 16 January 1945 (Tyler, Fucsko, and Roberts, 2023, Zootaxa, 5230: 162). Type locality: "Am Semmering befindet sich an der alten Semmeringstrasse in etwa 850 m Meereshöhe" (= Pool on Semmering Street [850 meters elevation] in in Semmering), northern Austrian Alps. Unavailable tetranomial.

Triton (=Molge) vulgaris subsp. typica forma kammereriWolterstorff, 1908, Lacerta, 5: 19.

Gekko triedrus Schreiber, 1912, Herpetol. Eur., Ed. 2: 85. Nomen nudum in synonymy attributed in error to Meyer.

Triton meridionalis — Schreiber, 1912, Herpetol. Eur., Ed. 2: 78.

Triton taeniatus var. orientalis Schreiber, 1912, Herpetol. Eur., Ed. 2: 78. Nomen nudum coined in the synonymy of Triton meridionalis and attributed in error to Tourneville, 1879, Bull. Soc. Zool. France, 4: 82, in which the name does not appear. Not Triton orientalis David, 1875.

Triton vulgaris meridionalis — Wolterstorff, 1912, Bl. Aquar. Terrarienkd., Stuttgart, 23: 190.

Triton vulgaris subsp. typica forma lantzi Wolterstorff, 1914, Abh. Ber. Mus. Nat. Heimatkd. Magdeburg, 2: 375. Syntypes: MM; destroyed in W.W.II according to Tyler, Fucsko, and Roberts, 2023, Zootaxa, 5230: 162. Type Localities: "Novorossiisk", "Borjan (Boshan)", "Poti", and "Borjom (Borshom)", northwestern section of Caucasus Mountains, Georgia. Placed on Official List of Specific Names in Zoology (and validated) by Opinion 642, Anonymous, 1962, Bull. Zool. Nomencl., 19: 280.

Triturus vulgarisDunn, 1918, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., 62: 452; Herre, 1935, Zoologica, Stuttgart, 33: 63.

Triturus vulgaris boulengeri Dunn, 1918, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., 62: 452. Replacement name for Molge vulgaris var. meridionalis Boulenger, 1882, a potential secondary homonym of Diemyctylus miniatus meridionalis Cope, 1880.

Molge vulgaris lantzi — Nikolskii, 1918, Fauna Rossii, Zemnovodnye: 231.

Molge vulgaris meridionalis — Nikolskii, 1918, Fauna Rossii, Zemnovodnye: 233.

Molge vulgaris vulgarisNikolskii, 1918, Fauna Rossii, Zemnovodnye: 224.

Molge vulgaris kammereriNikolskii, 1918, Fauna Rossii, Zemnovodnye: 233. Triton vulgaris subsp. Typica forma dalmaticaWolterstorff, 1925, Abh. Ber. Mus. Nat. Heimatkd. Magdeburg, 4: 275.

Triton vulgaris subsp. meridionalis — Wolterstorff, 1925, Abh. Ber. Mus. Nat. Heimatkd. Magdeburg, 4: 273.

Molge italica molisana Altobello, 1926, Annu. Ist. Tecnico L. Pilla, Campobasso, 1925–1926: 26. Type(s): Not known and presumed lost by Lanza, 1977, Monit. Zool. Ital., N.S., 11: 115. Type locality: Molise, Italy; restricted to XXX by Mertens and Wermuth, 1960, Amph. Rept. Europas: XXX. Considered to be a name based on a mixed sample of Triturus vulgaris meridionalis and Triturus italicus by Lanza, 1977, Monit. Zool. Ital., N.S., 11: 115, who regarded Molge italica molisana to appropriately rest in the synonymy of both species.

Triturus (Palaeotriton) vulgarisBolkay, 1927, Glasn. Zemaljskog Muz. Bosni Hercegov., 39: 63. Bolkay, 1928, Z. Anat. Entwicklungesch., 86: 259.

Triton (Palaeotriton) vulgaris vulgarisBolkay, 1928, Z. Anat. Entwicklungesch., 86: 259.

Triturus vulgaris vulgarisMertens and Müller, 1928, Abh. Senckenb. Naturforsch. Ges., 41: 12.

Triturus vulgaris kapelanus — Mertens and Müller, 1928, Abh. Senckenb. Naturforsch. Ges., 41: 13.

Triton (Palaeotriton) vulgaris meridionalis — Bolkay, 1928, Z. Anat. Entwicklungesch., 86: 259.

Spelerpes ferrugineus Lazzarini, 1930, Atti Accad. Sci., Lett. Art. Udine, Ser. 5, 9: 171. Type(s): Deposition not stated but animals figured on pl. 1, fig. 3-4 of the original publication. Type locality: "il versante sud-est dell'Appennino, o tutt'al piú a sud del corso inferior del Po", northern Italy. Restricted to Friaul (Friuli-Venezia Giulia Province, northern Italy, by Mertens and Müller, 1940, Abh. Senckenb. Naturforsch. Ges., 451: 11. Synonymy (with Triturus vulgaris meridionalis) by Galgano, 1948 "1947", Monit. Zool. Ital., 56: 96.

Triton intermedius Szeliga-Mierzeyewksi and Ulasiewicz, 1931, Trav. Soc. Sci. Wilno, Class. Sci. Math. Nat., 6: 19. Type(s): Not designated. Type locality: "Molodeczno" Province, Wojewodschaft, Vilnius, Lithuania. Name provided for Triturus cristatus X Triturus vulgaris hybrid. Unavailable name for a hybrid and preoccupied by Triton vulgaris intermedia Kolombatovic, 1907, and Triturus cristatus danubialis var. intermedia Fuhn, 1953).

Triton hoffmanni Szeliga-Mierzeyewksi and Ulasiewicz, 1931, Trav. Soc. Sci. Wilno, Class. Sci. Math. Nat., 6: 19. Type(s): Not designated or known to exist. Type locality: "Molodeczno" province, Vilnius, Lithuania. Name provided for hybrid of Triturus montandoni X Triturus vulgaris, hybrid).

Triturus vulgaris meridionalis — Herre, 1933, Zool. Anz., 104: 191.

Triturus vulgaris vulgaris forma lantzi — Herre, 1933, Zool. Anz., 104: 191.

Triturus vulgarisWolterstorff and Herre, 1935, Arch. Naturgesch., Leipzig, N. F., 4: 224.

Triturus vulgaris lantzi — Krasavtsev, 1940, Trudy Voroshilovskogo gosudarstvennogo Pedagogicheskogo Instituta, 2: 166-192; Terentjev and Chernov, 1936, Brief Guide Amph. Rept. USSR: 60.

Triturus vulgaris ampelensis Fuhn, 1951, Bul. Stiint. Sect. Biol. Agron. Geol. Geogr., Bucuresti, 3: 505. Syntypes: Deposition not stated, though presumably MGAB. Type locality: "Valea Dosului, raionul Alba-Iulia, basinul Ampoiului, la o altiduine de circa 1350 m", Apuseni Mountains, Romania. Taxonomic distinctiveness from Triturus vulgaris vulgaris rejected by Fuhn and Freytag, 1952, Mitt. Naturkd. Vorgesch. Mus. Magdeburg, 3: 92; but see Iftime and Iftime, 2008, Russ. J. Herpetol., 15: 93-96.

Hydromantes genei ferrugineus — Aellen, 1958, Senckenb. Biol., 39: 155. Based on misapplication of name to specimens of Triturus vulgaris and erroneously attributed to Pomini, 1936, Arch. Zool. Ital. Torino, 23: 241-272.

Triturus vulgaris borealis Kauri In Gislén and Kauri, 1959, Acta Vert., Stockholm, 1: 226. Holotype: ZMLU 86.1, by original designation. Type locality: "Lockne, Jämtland, Ångermanland", Sweden. Distinctiveness from Triturus vulgaris vulgaris rejected by Raxworthy, 1990, Herpetol. J., 1: 481.

Triturus vulgaris ampelensisMertens and Wermuth, 1960, Amph. Rept. Europas: 32.

Triturus vulgaris tataiensis Dely, 1967, Acta Zool. Acad. Sci. Hungaricae, 13: 265. Holotype: MNH v.490, by original designation. Type locality: "Tata (Komitat Komarom), Fényes-Quelle und 'Teich der Froschmänners'", Hungary. Distinctiveness from Triturus vulgaris vulgaris rejected by Raxworthy, 1990, Herpetol. J., 1: 481.

Triturus vulgaris schmidtleri Raxworthy, 1988, J. Zool., London, 215: 754. Holotype: BMNH 1987.1035, by original designation. Type locality: "Karacabey, 40°12´N, 28°22´ E, 50 m altitude", western Anatolia, Türkiye.

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

Triturus vulgaris schmidtlerorum — Thorn and Raffaëlli, 2000, Salamand. Ancien Monde: 262. Unjustified emendation.

Lissotriton vulgarisGarcía-París, Montori, and Herrero, 2004, Fauna Iberica, 24: 50, by implication.

Lophinus vulgarisLitvinchuk, Zuiderwijk, Borkin, and Rosanov, 2005, Amphibia-Reptilia, 26: 317, by implication.

Lissotriton (Lissotriton) (vulgaris) vulgarisDubois and Raffaëlli, 2009, Alytes, 26: 66.

Lissotriton (Lissotriton) (vulgaris) vulgaris vulgarisDubois and Raffaëlli, 2009, Alytes, 26: 66.

Lissotriton (Lissotriton) (vulgaris) vulgaris ampelensisDubois and Raffaëlli, 2009, Alytes, 26: 66.

Lissotriton meridionalis — Dubois and Raffaëlli, 2009, Alytes, 26: 40.

Lissotriton (Lissotriton) (vulgaris) lantzi — Dubois and Raffaëlli, 2009, Alytes, 26: 66.

Lissotriton lantzi — Dubois and Raffaëlli, 2009, Alytes, 26: 40; Pabijan, Zieliński, Dudek, Stuglik, and Babik, 2017, Mol. Phylogenet. Evol., 116: 1; Wielstra, Canestrelli, Cvijanovíc, Denoël, Fijarczyk, Jablonski, Liana, Naumov, Olgun, Pabijan, Pezzarossa, Popgeorgiev, Salvi, Si, Sillero, Sotiropoulos, Zieliński, and Babik, 2018, Amphibia-Reptilia, 39: 252. 

Lissotriton (Lissotriton) (vulgaris) meridionalis — Dubois and Raffaëlli, 2009, Alytes, 26: 66.

Lissotriton schmidtleri — Pabijan, Zieliński, Dudek, Stuglik, and Babik, 2017, Mol. Phylogenet. Evol., 116: 1; Wielstra, Canestrelli, Cvijanovíc, Denoël, Fijarczyk, Jablonski, Liana, Naumov, Olgun, Pabijan, Pezzarossa, Popgeorgiev, Salvi, Si, Sillero, Sotiropoulos, Zieliński, and Babik, 2018, Amphibia-Reptilia, 39: 252. 

Lissotriton (Lissotriton) meridionalis kapelanus — Raffaëlli, 2022, Salamanders & Newts of the World: 347.

Common Names

Common Newt (Shaw, 1802, Gen. Zool., 3(1): 295; Hellmich, 1962, Rept. Amph. Eur.: 42; Ananjeva, Borkin, Darevsky, and Orlov, 1988, Dict. Amph. Rept. Five Languages: 34; Arnold, 2002, Rept. Amph. Eur., Ed. 2: 46).

Great Water-Newt (Lacerta palustris [no longer recognized]: Shaw, 1802, Gen. Zool., 3(1): 296).

Common Water-Newt (Lacerta aquatica [no longer recognized]: Shaw, 1802, Gen. Zool., 3(1): 298).

Warty Eft (Triton palustris [no longer recognized]; Fleming, 1828, Hist. Brit. Animals: 157).

Water Eft (Triton aquaticus [no longer recognized]; Fleming, 1828, Hist. Brit. Animals: 158).

Common Eft (Triton punctatus [no longer recognized]: Jenyns, 1835, Manual Brit. Vert. Animals: 304).

Common Eft (Triton punctatus [no longer recognized]: Jenyns, 1835, Manual Brit. Vert. Animals: 304).

Common Smooth-newt (Lissotriton punctatus: Bell, 1839, Hist. Brit. Rept.: 132).

Small Newt (Lissotriton punctatus: Bell, 1839, Hist. Brit. Rept.: 132).

Small Eft (Lissotriton punctatus: Bell, 1839, Hist. Brit. Rept.: 132).

Small Evet (Lissotriton punctatus: Bell, 1839, Hist. Brit. Rept.: 132).

Brown Eft (Fleming, 1828, Hist. Brit. Animals: 158).

Smooth Newt (Wood, 1863, Illust. Nat. Hist., 3: 179 (as Lophinus punctatus); Flower, 1933, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1933: 837; Hellmich, 1962, Rept. Amph. Eur.: 42;Steward, 1969, Tailed Amph. Eur.: 40; Bruno, 1973, Natura, Milano, 64: 344; Arnold and Burton, 1978, Field Guide Rept. Amph. Brit. Eur.: 47; Ananjeva, Borkin, Darevsky, and Orlov, 1988, Dict. Amph. Rept. Five Languages: 34; Stumpel-Rienks, 1992, Ergänzungsband Handbuch Rept. Amph. Eur., Trivialnamen der Herpetofauna Eur.: 68; Frank and Ramus, 1995, Compl. Guide Scient. Common Names Amph. Rept. World: 36).

Northern Smooth Newt (Wielstra, Canestrelli, Cvijanovíc, Denoël, Fijarczyk, Jablonski, Liana, Naumov, Olgun, Pabijan, Pezzarossa, Popgeorgiev, Salvi, Si, Sillero, Sotiropoulos, Zieliński, and Babik, 2018, Amphibia-Reptilia, 39: 254). 

Smooth Newt (Triturus vulgaris vulgaris: Steward, 1969, Tailed Amph. Eur.: 40).

Rumanian Smooth Newt (Triturus vulgaris ampelensis: Steward, 1969, Tailed Amph. Eur.: 40).

North Swedish Smooth Newt (Triturus vulgaris borealis: Steward, 1969, Tailed Amph. Eur.: 40).

Dalmatian Smooth Newt (Triturus vulgaris dalmaticus: Steward, 1969, Tailed Amph. Eur.: 40).

Caucasian Smooth Newt (Lissotriton vulgaris lantziSteward, 1969, Tailed Amph. Eur.: 40; Wielstra, Canestrelli, Cvijanovíc, Denoël, Fijarczyk, Jablonski, Liana, Naumov, Olgun, Pabijan, Pezzarossa, Popgeorgiev, Salvi, Si, Sillero, Sotiropoulos, Zieliński, and Babik, 2018, Amphibia-Reptilia, 39: 254).

Southern Smooth Newt (Lissotriton vulgaris meridionalisSteward, 1969, Tailed Amph. Eur.: 40).

Schmidtler's Smooth Newt (Lissotriton vulgaris schmidtleri:Wielstra, Canestrelli, Cvijanovíc, Denoël, Fijarczyk, Jablonski, Liana, Naumov, Olgun, Pabijan, Pezzarossa, Popgeorgiev, Salvi, Si, Sillero, Sotiropoulos, Zieliński, and Babik, 2018, Amphibia-Reptilia, 39: 254). 

Turkish Smooth Newt (Lissotriton vulgaris schmidtleriDufresnes, 2019, Amph. Eur., N. Afr., & Middle East: 125).

Transylvania Smooth Newt (Lissotriton vulgaris ampelensisRaffaëlli, 2022, Salamanders & Newts of the World: 347).

Distribution

British Isles and western France through southern Norway and southern Finland to Slovenia, adjacent Croatia and Montenegro, and central and northern Italy, east to the Urals and south to the northern Balkans, Western Asiatic and European Türkiye to far northeastern Greece to central Bulgaria and northern Kazakhstan; introduced and feral in Victoria, southeastern Australia. 

Geographic Occurrence

Natural Resident: Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye, Ukraine, United Kingdom

Introduced: Australia

Comment

Gislén and Kauri, 1959, Acta Vert., Stockholm, 1: 209–242, reported on northern populations. Raxworthy, 1990, Herpetol. J., 1: 481–492, provided an account and key to the subspecies (several of which are now recognized as distinct species). Nöllert and Nöllert, 1992, Die Amph. Eur.: 202–209, provided a brief account and polygon map. See also discussion of relevant literature and distribution by Kuzmin and Zuiderwijk, 1997, in Gasc et al. (eds.), Atlas Amph. Rept. Eur.: 88–89. See accounts by Kuzmin, 1999, Amph. Former Soviet Union: 146–160. Pikulik, 1996, Zemnavodnyia Pauzuny: 123–126, provided an account for the Belarus population. Obst in Engelmann, Fritzsche, Günther, and Obst, 1993, Lurche Kriechtiere Eur.: 96–99, provided relevant accounts. See account by Schlüpmann and Van Gelder, 2003, in Grossenbacher and Thiesmeier (eds.), Handbuch Rept. Amph. Eur., 4(IIB): 847–967 (including populations now assigned to Lissotriton graecus, Lissotriton kosswigi, Lissotriton lantzi, Lissotriton meridionalis, and Lissotriton schmidtleriNaumov, 2005, Acta Zool. Bulgarica, 57: 391, provided records for Bulgaria. Babik, Branicki, Crnobrnja-Isailovic, Cogǎlniceanu, Sas-Kovács, Olgun, Poyarkov, García-París, and Arntzen, 2005, Mol. Ecol., 14: 2475–2491, reported on mtDNA and a comparison with morphological variation among populations (most now recognized as distinct species). Raffaëlli, 2007, Les Urodèles du Monde: 106–108, provided accounts by subspecies (most of which are now regarded as distinct species). Iftime and Iftime, 2008, Russ. J. Herpetol., 15: 93–96, discussed morphological variation in southwestern Romania and evidence of intergradation among named populations. Skorinov, Kuranova, Borkin, and Litvinchuk, 2010, Russ. J. Herpetol., 15: 157–165, discussed range and conservation status in western Siberia and Kazakhstan. Başoğlu and Özeti, 1973, Türkiye Amphibileri: 44–50, and Özeti and Yilmaz, 1994, Türkiye Amfibileri: 68–79, provided accounts for the Turkish populations. Tuniyev, 1999, Adv. Amph. Res. Former Soviet Union, 3: 50-51, discussed the status of Triturus vulgaris lantziArnold, 2002, Rept. Amph. Eur., Ed. 2: 46–47, provided a brief account, figure, and map. Introgresses with Lissotriton graeca in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, with Lissotriton kosswigi in northwestern Turkey according to Babik, Branicki, Crnobrnja-Isailovic, Cogǎlniceanu, Sas-Kovács, Olgun, Poyarkov, García-París, and Arntzen, 2005, Mol. Ecol., 14: 2488. See detailed account (as Lissotriton vulgaris meridionalis) by Razzetti, Lapini, and Bernini, 2007, in Lanza et al. (eds.), Fauna d'Italia, 42 (Amph.): 246–254, for Italian population. Maanen, 2009, in Creemers and van Delft (eds.), Amph. Rept. Nederland: 124–131 provided a detailed account for the species in the Netherlands. Dubois and Raffaëlli, 2009, Alytes, 26: 39–40, discussed their rationale for considering several subspecies of Lissotriton vulgaris to be species; these they considered to be Lissotriton graecusLissotriton kosswigi, Lissotriton meridionalis, and Lissotriton lantziSpeybroeck, Beukema, and Crochet, 2010, Zootaxa, 2492: 3, discussed the problematic nature of the evidence supporting recognition of subsidiary taxa at the time. Stojanov, Tzankov, and Naumov, 2011, Die Amph. Rept. Bulgariens: 131–143, provided a fairly detailed account and range map for Bulgaria. Ivanović, Sotiropoulos, Üzüm, Džukić, Olgun, Cogǎlniceanu, and Kalezić, 2011, J. Zool. Syst. Evol. Res., 50: 116–124, reported on skull size and shape within a phylogenetic framework. Gherghel, Strgariu, Ambrosă, and Zamfirescu, 2012, Acta Herpetol., Firenze, 7: 49–55, documented the hybrid zone in Romania with Lissotriton montandoniNöllert, Kwet, Grosse, and Hill, 2013, Mertensiella, 19: 1–21, reviewed the biology of German populations.  Raffaëlli, 2013, Urodeles du Monde, 2nd ed.: 122, provided a brief account, photo, and map. Kuzmin, 2013, Amph. Former Soviet Union, Ed. 2: 76–86, provided accounts for the area of the former USSR. Raffaëlli, 2013, Urodeles du Monde, 2nd ed.: 119–122, provided brief accounts, photos, and maps (including that of nominal Lissotriton meridionalis). Bringsøe and Fog, 2013, Mertensiella, 19: 22–25, reported on the ecological distribution throughout Denmark. Skorinov, Doronin, Kidov, Tuniyev, and Litvinchuk, 2014, Russ. J. Herpetol., 21: 251–268, reported on the distribution and conservation status and who suggested that the species is extinct in Türkiye, Azerbaijan, and Armenia. Maura, Salvi, Bologna, Nascetti, and Canestrelli, 2014, Biol. J. Linn. Soc., 113: 590–603, reported on molecular phylogeography and biogeography. Sparreboom, 2014, Salamanders Old World: 233–240, reviewed the biology, characteristics, distribution, reproduction, and conservation of the species in the sense of that taxon including including Lissotriton graecus, Lissotriton kosswigi, Lissotriton lantzi, and Lissotriton schmidtleriSos and Hegyeli, 2015, North-West. J. Zool., Romania, 11: 34–40, discussed the range of Lissotriton vulgaris ampelensis in Romania. Pabijan, Zieliński, Dudek, Chloupek, Sotiropoulos, Liana, and Babik, 2015, J. Biogeograph., 42: 671–683, reported on mtDNA phylogeography in the Balkans, revealing several Pleistocene refugia. Tingley, Weeks, Smart, van Rooyen, Woolnough, and McCarthy, 2015, Biol. Invasions, 17: 31–37, reported an introduced population in Victoria, southeastern Australia. Wielstra, Bozkurt, and Olgun, 2015, ZooKeys, 484: 11–23, provided a map of Lissotriton vulgaris schmidtleri in Türkiye, suggested that kosswigi might be a distinct species, noted the lack of recent records from Azerbaijan and Armeniaand discussed the species range and allopatry from Lissotriton kosswigi in that country. Bozkurt, Tural, Ulutaş, and Olgun, 2016, Russ. J. Herpetol., 23: 158–162, documented two paedomorphic populations in the vicinity of Çanakkale, Türkiye. Speybroeck, Beukema, Bok, and Van Der Voort, 2016, Field Guide Amph. Rept. Brit. Eur.: 83–85, provided a brief account and distribution map. Range and relationships discussed by Pabijan, Zieliński, Dudek, Stuglik, and Babik, 2017, Mol. Phylogenet. Evol., 116: 1–12. Wielstra, Canestrelli, Cvijanovíc, Denoël, Fijarczyk, Jablonski, Liana, Naumov, Olgun, Pabijan, Pezzarossa, Popgeorgiev, Salvi, Si, Sillero, Sotiropoulos, Zieliński, and Babik, 2018, Amphibia-Reptilia, 39: 252–259, reviewed the taxonomic literature of the species complex and provided a range map, in which they followed Pabijan, Zieliński, Dudek, Stuglik, and Babik, 2017, Mol. Phylogenet. Evol., 116: 1–12 (a densely-sampled nuDNA study), in considering Lissotriton meridionalis, otherwise controversially recognized, to be a subspecies of Lissotriton vulgarisDubey, Lavanchy, Thiébaud, and Dufresnes, 2019, Amphibia-Reptilia, 40: 13–27, documented an introduced populations of Lissotriton vulgaris meridionalis on the outskirts of Geneva, Switzerland, as well as estimating the source populations on the basis of molecular analysis. See Dufresnes, 2019, Amph. Eur., N. Afr., & Middle East: 122–126, for brief summary of identifying morphology and biology, a range map, as well as a photograph (see p. 199 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: 144, for taxonomic comments suggesting that additional studies are warranted to document the distinction of this taxon from Triturus vulgaris and on that basis considered Lissotriton schmidtleri and Triturus lantzi as subspecies of Triturus vulgarisNiedzicka, Głowacki, Zieliński, and Babik, 2020, Amphibia-Reptilia, 41: 489–500, reported on a hybrid zone with Lissotriton montandoni in the Carpathian Mountains of Romania. Gvozdenović and Iković, 2022, Nat. Montenegrina, Podgorica, 14: 94, included this species in the fauna of Montenegro. Yaşar, Çiçek, Mulder, and Tok, 2021, North-West. J. Zool., Romania, 17(e201512): 232–275, discussed and grid-mapped the range in Türkiye. Skorinov, Bozkurt, Olgun, and Litvinchuk, 2022, Acta Zool. Acad. Sci. Hungaricae, 68: 261–276, discussed identification of this species from Lissotriton vulgaris and Lissotriton kosswigi employing ventral and lateral spot patterns. Mollov, Natchev, Koynova, Kambourov, Rashkov, Dimitrov, Todorov, Petrova, Vladov, and Uzunov, 2022, Ecol. Balkanica, Spec. Edit. 5: 43–74, discussed the presence of this species in protected areas of southeastern Bulgaria. Raffaëlli, 2022, Salamanders & Newts of the World: 343–348, provided subspecies (and continued recognition of Lissotriton meridionalis) accounts, summarizing systematics, life history, population status, and distribution (including a polygon map, and suggested that the species is extinct in Azerbaijan. Skorinov, Bozkurt, Olgun, and Litvinchuk, 2022, Acta Zool. Acad. Sci. Hungaricae, 68: 261–276, discussed identification of this species from Lissotriton kosswigi and Lissotriton schmidtleri (now both considered subspecies) employing ventral and lateral spot patterns. Herczeg, Palomar, Zieliński, van Riemsdijk, Babik, Dankovics, Halpern, Cvijanovíc, and Vörös, 2023, Ecol. Evol., 13 (e10478): 1–12, reported on complex population structure in the Carpathian basin of southern Slovakia, eastern Austria, Hungary, eastern Slovenia, northern Croatia, and northern Serbia. Mars, Koster, Babik, France, Kalaentzis, Kazilas, Martínez-Solano, de Visser, and Wielstra, 2024 "2025", Mol. Phylogenet. Evol., 204 (108282): 1–11, provided a detailed discussion of the phylogenetic relationships and introgressive hybridiation within Lissotriton that has been the source of so much taxonomic uncertainty. These authors provided polygon maps of the nominal subspecies

  

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