Greek smooth newt

Greek smooth newt
Female (background) and male during breeding season
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Urodela
Family: Salamandridae
Genus: Lissotriton
Species:
L. graecus
Binomial name
Lissotriton graecus
Range (hatching indicates unclear contact zones with L. vulgaris and L. schmidtleri)
Synonyms[2]
15 synonyms
  • Triton vulgaris graeca Wolterstorff, 1906
  • Triton vulgaris intermedia Kolombatovic, 1907
  • Triton vulgaris graeca forma tomasinii Wolterstorff, 1908
  • Triton vulgaris graeca forma corcyrensis Wolterstorff, 1908
  • Triton meridionalis var. graeca Schreiber, 1912
  • Triton vulgaris graeca Wolterstorff, 1912
  • Triton meridionalis var. graeca forma tomasinii Schreiber, 1912
  • Triton vulgaris forma schreiberi Wolterstorff, 1914
  • Triton vulgaris forma schreiberi Wolterstorff, 1925
  • Triton (Palaeotriton) vulgaris graecus Bolkay, 1927
  • Triturus vulgaris graecus Mertens and Müller, 1928
  • Triturus vulgaris tomasinii Mertens and Müller, 1928
  • Triturus vulgaris schreiberi Mertens and Müller, 1940
  • Triturus meridionalis graeca Bodenheimer, 1944
  • Lissotriton (Lissotriton) (vulgaris) graecus Dubois and Raffaëlli, 2009

The Greek smooth newt or Greek newt (Lissotriton graecus) is a newt species found in the southern Balkans, from southern Croatia (Dalmatia) over Montenegro, Albania and North Macedonia to Greece and south-westernmost Bulgaria.[3][4]: 234 

Willy Wolterstorff described the species in 1906 as Triton vulgaris graeca, a subspecies of the smooth newt.[1] After genetic data had suggested the smooth newt was a complex of distinct lineages,[5] Dubois and Raffaëlli, in 2009, recognised several subspecies, including the Greek smooth newt, as distinct species.[6] This was followed by subsequent authors.[2][3][7] Molecular phylogenetics suggested that the closest relative of the Greek smooth newt is Kosswig's smooth newt (Lissotriton kosswigi) from northwestern Anatolia.[7]

The species differs from other species in the smooth newt species complex mainly in the male secondary characters during breeding season.[3] The male dorsal crest is less than 1 mm high and has smooth edges. The belly has many small spots, but the lower tail fin is usually unspotted. The well-developed dorso-lateral folds give the body a square shape. Toe flaps on the hind feet are well developed.[4]: 234 

The species's conservation status has not yet been evaluated separately from the smooth newt by the IUCN. Since its range is much smaller than that of the smooth newt species complex as a whole, it is likely to be more vulnerable than previously estimated. It has been negatively impacted by the introduction of fish.[3]

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Wolterstorff1906 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Frost2020 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference WielstraCanestrelli2018 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Sparreboom2014 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference BabikBranicki2005 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference DuboisRaffaelli2009 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference PabijanZielinski2017 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).