Smooth newt facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Smooth Newt
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Amphibia
Order:	Caudata
Family:	Salamandridae
Genus:	Lissotriton
Species:	L. vulgaris
Binomial name
Lissotriton vulgaris (Linnaeus, 1758)
Subspecies
L. vulgaris ampelensis L. vulgaris graecus L. vulgaris kosswigi L. vulgaris lantzi L. vulgaris meridionalis L. vulgaris schmidtlerorum L. vulgaris vulgaris
Synonyms
Triturus vulgaris

The Smooth Newt is a species of newts. They are also known as the Common Newt. It is the most common newt species of the Lissotriton genus of amphibians. They live in Europe, southern France and the Iberian peninsula.

Images for kids

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  Throat and belly are spotted. The spots are larger in males (pictured) than in females.

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  During breeding season, males develop vivid colours and a crest.

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  The cloaca is swollen in breeding males.

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  Breeding females are drab in colour and have no dorsal crest.

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  Sun-exposed, stagnant, shallow water bodies with abundant vegetation but without fish, such as this ditch, are typical breeding sites.

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  Well-developed larva shortly before metamorphosis

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  Two juveniles (efts) after the transition to land

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  Grass snake eating a smooth newt

See also

In Spanish: Tritón común para niños