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Scientific name: Triturus carnifex

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Order:

Caudata Family: Salamandridae

Genre: Triturus

Species: carnifex

Distribution:

The Italian crested newt is widespread both in mainland and in the peninsular. Outside of Italy is in the Canton Ticino, in certain areas in Austria, in a small portion of Hungary and the Czech Republic and in Slovenia and Croatia.
Until recently, populations of the Balkan Peninsula (deployed in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia and Greece) were considered as subspecies of Triturus carnifex. Further studies on the genetics and morphology of these populations have allowed the elevation to the rank of species: Triturus macedonicus .
Following introductions anthropogenic populations of Triturus carnifex are now known in Germany, France, United Kingdom, Belgium, Holland and the island São Miguel (Azores).

ID:

Adult: newt large: the male usually does not exceed 15 cm, while the total length of the female can exceed 20 cm . The color of the back varies from dark brown to gray with specks round. The belly has instead a variable color from yellow to orange to red with irregular black or dark gray leaf spot, which varies from individual to individual. Although in recent publications it is claimed that his throat was always a dark color with white end punctuation, I can assert that a good part of individuals that I observed had his throat with orange hues, similar to the ventral region. Sexual dimorphism is accentuated during the breeding season, when the male develops a serrated dorsal ridge on the sidelines, more than 1 cm high. It usually begins at eye level and extending to the height of the cloaca, where it stops abruptly. A crest, albeit less pronounced, is present along the top edge of the tail, which also adorns the sides of a strip white pearly reflections. The cloaca of the male is of hemispherical shape and very measured. The females and young specimens have a longitudinal yellow streak (it disappears in males after the "first peak"). During the terrestrial newt skin thickens, becoming grainy and assuming blackish hue.

neotenous: the neoteny, or the attainment of sexual maturity has not taken place despite the metamorphosis is a phenomenon quite rare in the newt. Neotenic individuals have gills on the sides of the head, similar in size to adults metamorphosed but a more faded color: ventral regions have a yellow-orange color is not uniform, but generally divided into several spots, dark punctuation is virtually absent . The dorsal regions have gray tone, but sometimes appear yellowish color copies with bright red or gray. The dorsal crest and tail, typical of the larval stage, is reduced but not disappear. The distinction between the sexes is difficult, because the secondary sexual characteristics are not very clear: the dorsal ridge margin has continued and has recently found, the white band on the tail slightly pointed out.

Neometamorfosato: size at metamorphosis vary according to several factors mainly related to the reproductive features of the site (drying of the pond, cases of over-wintering larvae, etc..), Usually ranging around 6 - 9 cm. The color scheme, and the ventral ridge is similar to that of the adult and is a clear longitudinal yellow streak.

Larva: at the time of hatching is 9-10 mm long. A complete development it shows the upper parts grayish, dorsal ridge that runs the entire back and is continuous with the caudal crest without interruption. The larva of the newt is characterized by long limbs and slender with slender fingers. As we proceed with the development intensifies the colors, the back can be dark tones and the belly is tinged with yellow. From the moment of hatching until metamorphosis, the sides of the head are the eye-catching gills, in number of 3 per side.

Larva of Italian crested newt

Egg: diameter of 1.5-2 mm, protected by a transparent gelatinous envelope.

Habitat:

spread from 0 to 1800m above sea level, the Italian crested newt shows great plasticity of adaptation, a feature that allowed him to colonize many different environments. When aquatic prefers collections of stagnant water or weak currents. He spent the land being hidden under logs and stones or, in an anthropic environment, under plates, in wells and sewage in basements. At this stage is only active at night or on rainy days.

Biology:

Diet Triturus carnifex is typically opportunist. It consists of several terrestrial invertebrates (snails, earthworms, insects, etc..) And water (irudinei, cladodes crustaceans, larvae of Odonata, Ephemeroptera, chironomid ), As well as eggs and larvae of other amphibians (cases of cannibalism are not uncommon). The larvae feed on small aquatic invertebrates. The main predators are snakes of the genus Natrix , turtle, marsh birds and fish predators (eg, black bass).

Male of Italian crested newt busy eating an earthworm ( http://www.parcodelpocn.it/ )

R

LAYING:

the breeding season generally begins in January-February and lasts until May-June Depending on the altitude. Once in the water, the male newt shall mark their territory with a special cloacal secretions. The courtship takes place when a receptive female enters the territory of the male. The first phase, defined as "orientation phase" (display orientation), sees the male to chase and engaged in clearing the way for the female: it the stands before folding it and waving its tail on the side (fanning display), directing us towards a stream of female pheromones. To do this, the male takes on a strange posture, arching his back and lifting his hind legs, defined cat buckle. With this movement are also highlighted in the secondary sexual characteristics. If the female shows interest starts to search for a contact with the male touching his nose. At this point, the male moves away while the raised tail and moving its peak, the female follows him as attracted to this movement of the tail (to attract them in particular is the trail of pheromones emitted from the cloaca of the male) and then places the spermatofora, that the female picks up with the lips cloacal (sperm transfer) over it.

Fanning display (cat buckle)

Courtship of newt ( http://it .youtube.com / watch? v = GK5A30r0fuI & feature = related )

After a while, the female lays 200-300 eggs individually attached to various substrates submerged , preferring to cover these in the leaves of aquatic vegetation. The larvae metamorphosed in most cases in 2-4 months. Sexual maturity can be reached within one year of age (especially under conditions of abundant food resources), but usually the 2nd and 3rd years of age.

Female deposition in

Ethology: If disturbed, the newt Crested assume a particular posture, rolling up the spiral tail and bending his head to one side. This behavior, in addition to disorient the predator, plays a role aposematism type, as this will mean that it is highlighting the vibrant color of the belly. It also produced a whitish secretion pungent smell.

Storage:

Compared to the past, appears in the newt steady depletion a bit 'throughout its range. Main causes of threat are the progressive destruction and alteration of water bodies used for breeding (especially in peri-urban and industrialized areas), the introduction of fish and the taking of water from small water bodies. Currently a major factor, however, the threat is the uncontrolled expansion of the red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii ). The restoration and creation from scratch of an atmosphere appropriate to the life cycle of the species seem to be the most effective solutions for its preservation.
Triturus carnifex be placed in Annex II of the Bern Convention, Annexes B and D of the Habitats Directive and in different regional laws.

Text © James Brown
Adult Photo © Richard Banks ( http://www.infol.it/microcosmo/ index.htm)
larva Photo © Paolo Mazzei ( http://www.herp.it/ )

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