Outside of the breeding season, the smooth newt’s spotted throat is the best means of distinguishing the smooth newt from the similar-looking palmate newt. A voracious predator of tadpoles, as well as aquatic and land invertebrates such as snails and worms. Much darker in colour than other newt species, with bumpy skin. Males have black webbing on their back feet and a thin filament at the end of their tails during the breeding season. They can also be identified by their white warts, and bright orange belly with black spots. GB520 6111 04. Males develop a continuous wavy crest along their back in the breeding season. Frogs and Toads feature too. How to identify The smooth newt is grey-brown, with an … Much darker in colour than other newt species, with bumpy skin. Ecology: Most active at dusk and dawn. During the breeding season, males have a wavy crest along their backs. Unlike smooth newts however, palmate newts lack spots on their throats, which are pink or yellow in colour. Watch for them rising to the surface of ponds to take a nip of air before darting back down again. It is absent from Northern Ireland. The great crested newt population has declined and its range shrunk in recent decades. Come and work for us! Down beneath your feet, often unnoticed are some of the rarest species in the country! Shades of grey and brown; the male develops an orange crest with black spots along the length of its body in the breeding season. The Museum's Identification and Advisory Service can answer your queries about insects, fossils, plants and other wildlife and natural history specimens found in the UK. Newt larvae develop their front legs first and have feathery external gills behind their heads. Unlike frog and toad tadpoles, newt larvae develop their front legs first, then their back legs. You can contact them by email, phone, post, or in person at our Museum in London. Absent from the Isle of Man and some Scottish islands. Smooth and palmate newts are very similar in colouring and size. Common in Leicestershire and Rutland. Outside of the breeding season they can be found in deciduous woodland, wet heaths, bogs, gardens and parks. The underbelly of a Great Crested Newt is orange with with black spots, and on its lower flanks it is stippled with small white dots. Join Us Login. They have preference for small ponds in acidic soils but outside the breeding season they can be found in heathland and moorlan… In the UK we have three native species of newt: common or smooth newt (Lissotriton vulgaris); palmate newt (Triturus helveticus) and great crested newt (Triturus cristatus). 2296645), is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Woodland Trust. Newt images, @ Paul Sterry (www.naturephotographers.co.uk) Newt identification Deliberately capturing, killing, disturbing or injuring great crested newts at any life stage and damaging, destroying or obstructing access to a breeding or resting place, are prohibited by law. Where to find the smooth newt, how to identify them, their lifecycle and protection status. Identification of Newts(Urodeles) in the UK. Up to 10cm long. Smooth newts are widespread around the UK and breed in most standing waters such as lakes, ponds and ditches. Woodland Trust (Enterprises) Limited, registered in England (No. Image by gailhampshire. It is therefore illegal to sell individuals of the species, but their destruction or capture is still permitted. The UK's smallest newts, adults can reach up to 9cm in length. Palmate newts have a patchy distribution in the UK. There are also frequently asked question pages that should answer any other queries! Like all amphibians, these newts take to the water to reproduce. Also living up to their name, great crested newts are the UK's largest newt species. And don't forget to REPORT YOUR SIGHTINGS! British newts: an identification guide Amy Lewis • 19 Feb 2020 Learn to tell the difference between the UK's three newt species with our quick and easy identification guide. cristatus …also eggs and larvae. Identification difficulty. SC038885). The breeding season is between March and June. vulgar. helveticus. A guide to the Reptiles and Amphibians found in the UK (Reptile and Amphibian Identification) In the United Kingdom we have 12 naturally occuring or native species, 6 amphibians and 6 reptiles. Palmate newts are widespread but have a patchy distribution. Take a look at the pages below to find out more about where to find them, how to identify them, their lifecycles and protection. We have three native species of newt here in the UK: palmate, smooth and great crested. well-established. More than 100 known species of newts are found in North America, Europe, North Africa and Asia. Home; Cup of Tea; Nature; Reptiles and Amphibians - Amphibians; Join Us. The belly of both sexes is yellow/orange with small black spots. Read more, Let us know which amphibians and reptiles you've seen They are most active at night. The total UK population is relatively large and is distributed over sites that vary greatly in their ecological character. Eggs are laid individually and each wrapped in the leaves of pond plants. Discover our recent challenges and successes and how you can help. Download our amphibian identification guide! Life cycle - smooth newts spend the winter sheltering under rocks, in compost heaps or buried down in mud and occasionally they’ll overwinter in ponds. Read more, Where to find the great crested newt, how to identify them, their lifecycle and protection status. Smooth newt Lissotriton. Their tails also take on a white stripe towards the tip.