Danube crested newt
| Danube crested newt | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Caudata |
| Family: | Salamandridae |
| Genus: | Triturus |
| Species: | T. dobrogicus |
| Binomial name | |
| Triturus dobrogicus (Kiritzescu, 1903) | |
 | |
The Danube crested newt (Triturus dobrogicus) is a species of salamander in the Salamandridae family found in Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Moldova, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, the Ukraine, and possibly Slovenia. Its natural habitats are temperate forests, temperate shrubland, temperate grassland, rivers, intermittent rivers, swamps, freshwater lakes, intermittent freshwater lakes, freshwater marshes, intermittent freshwater marshes, arable land, pastureland, rural gardens, urban areas, ponds, and open excavations. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Description
The Danube crested newt is very similar in appearance to the great crested newt (Triturus cristatus). However, it has a narrower head, shorter limbs and a more slender body (especially females), and the male has a dorsal crest that may reach the front of the head. The dorsal surface is paler than the great crested newt with darker, more contrasting spots. The dark markings on the belly may merge into larger patches.[2]
Behaviour
The Danube crested newt inhabits mixed deciduous woods, damp meadows, agriultural land, swamps and rough vegetation in river valleys. It moves to its breeding grounds in the spring. The eggs are laid in pools, flooded areas, old quarries, ditches or stagnant water. The larvae take two or more months to reach metamorphosis. The adults leave the water after breeding and return to the water bodies in the autumn.[2]
Status
The main threat to the Danube crested newt is drainage, damage or pollution of its habitat. The population is believed to be declining because of this habitat loss and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being "near threatened".[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Jan Willem Arntzen, Sergius Kuzmin, Robert Jehle, Mathieu Denoël, Brandon Anthony, Claude Miaud, Wiesiek Babik, Milan Vogrin, David Tarkhnishvili, Vladimir Ishchenko, Natalia Ananjeva, Nikolai Orlov, Boris Tuniyev, Dan Cogalniceanu, Tibor Kovács, István Kiss (2008). "Triturus dobrogicus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 2014-09-26.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Sergius L. Kuzmin (1999-10-06). "Triturus dobrogicus". AmphibiaWeb. Retrieved 2014-09-26.