Smooth Newt

Smooth Newt - Triturus vulgaris

Small, dainty newt. Olive-grey livery on its back, belly pale with an orange stripe.

The male especially has tiny dark spots on belly and flanks. The male can reach 11 cm in length and has a crest which becomes more prominent during the breeding season.

The spots and crest are less evident in the female. This newt is not particularly attached to the water, although locally it can be observed permanently in the water.

It frequents various types of aquatic habitats, especially if there are areas of still or slow-flowing water. During periods of particularly unfavourable climate, it shelters in its hiding places on the ground and in the water to pass a period of quiescence.

It mainly breeds in the spring, when the male exhibits its territorial behaviour and attracts the female, who lays several hundred eggs.

The tadpoles follow a cycle of development similar to other species of newts, completing their metamorphosis after approximately three months. The Smooth Newt feeds on small animals it catches on the ground and in the water.

Protected species under the Regional Law of Tuscany no. 56/2000.