Distinguishing different cresteds

A

aaron

Guest
I've recently aquired 12 crested newts. They are not in breeding dress and they aren't karelinii. I know that they can be cristatus, carnifex, or dobrogicus. They are from Ukraine. What i'm looking for is a way to distinguish the different types outside of the breeding season. Thanks,

~Aaron
 
Hi Aaron,

Well, I guess they are most likely T. cristatus.

T. dobrogicus is pretty unlikely and you can't mistake them for anything else because they are _really_ slender...

Without first-hand experience with all taxa, a scientific indentification isn't possible, especially with few live specimens. However, have a look at the nice pics from the following paper which may help you to try some educated guesses...
Arntzen, J. W. & G. P. Wallis. 1999. Geographic variation and taxonomy of crested newts (Triturus cristatus superspecies): morphological and mitochondrial DNA data. Contributions to Zoology, 68 (3): 181-203.
(This paper was available online but the old URL doesn't work - I'll check it out and post it ASAP.)

Best wishes,
kai
 
Hi.

If they're really from the Ukraine, then they are
either karelinii (which you've dismissed), cristatus or dobrogicus. dobrogicus has a very limited range in the Ukraine (see my map at
http://www.darkwave.org.uk/~caleb/tricri.html),
so it's most likely to be cristatus.

cristatus and karelinii are often exported from the Ukraine, but I've never heard of dobrogicus being exported.

karelinii usually have yellow/orange and black throats, carnifex and cristatus have black with white speckling. carnifex females almost always have a yellow stripe along the back, males sometimes do. In terms of bulkiness, karelinii>cristatus>carnifex>dobrogicus.

Hope that helps
 
I must apologise Caleb - your link submission slipped through the cracks. I have now added it.
 
I'm sure they aren't karelinii because I already have a pair of them, and they are nothing alike. These new cresteds are a very dark greyish brown with black spots(spots are similar to karelinii) and they have the white flecks of color on the lower regions. They have school-bus yellow colored bellies with black spots.

~Aaron
 
Kai, I was just wondering if you ever found that link. Thanks,

~Aaron
 
Sorry, forgwet about it. I'll try next week - please remind me if necessary.

happy.gif

kai
 
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