FaunaHub

Smooth Newt (Lissotriton vulgaris)

AmphibianNewtEurope

A female smooth newt (Lissotriton vulgaris) on a moss-flecked stone, its slender dark brown body and long tail stretched out, a pale spot on its side and a gold-ringed eye.

A female smooth newt at the edge of a pond in Göttingen, Germany.

Image: Kryp, CC0 1.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Overview

The smooth newt (Lissotriton vulgaris) is a newt that, under the 2017 taxonomic split, occupies the northern part of its species group's range in Europe and adjacent Asia. In Britain and Ireland, where it is native, it is the most widespread native newt and readily colonizes garden ponds, and it has been introduced to southeastern Australia, where it is now established.

It is light, grayish or olive-brown above, with a yellow to orange belly that is usually spotted with black, a spotted throat and a dark stripe through the eye. In the breeding season males grow a high, continuous crest along the back and tail — described as notched or undulating, as wavy or as smooth, depending on the account — while females have only a modest crest on the tail. On land the crest disappears and the skin becomes dry and velvety, and males are often darker than females. It looks very similar to the palmate newt, and on land it is sometimes mistaken for a lizard.

Adults reach up to 11 cm, mostly less, or up to 10 cm, by different accounts, and another account gives 7–11 cm; males are somewhat larger than females.

Habitat & Range

Smooth newts use many open and wooded landscapes, including grassland, heathland, woodland, hedgerows, marshes, farmland, gardens, villages and towns, and in Ireland also bogland. They breed in still or slow-moving water, preferring small, shallow, sunny waters with dense vegetation, but they also breed at the edges of ponds and larger lakes and in slow stretches of rivers and streams. In Italy and Austria they are found locally up to 2,000 m. They tolerate dry conditions less well than palmate newts.

How far the species extends depends on its taxonomy. A 2017 genetic study proposed raising four southern subspecies to species — L. graecus in the southern Balkans, L. kosswigi on the Black Sea coast east of Istanbul, L. schmidtleri in western Anatolia and along the Marmara coast, and L. lantzi in the northern Caucasus and parts of Transcaucasia — leaving the smooth newt in the northern part of the group's range, while the taxonomic record used here lists L. lantzi and L. schmidtleri as synonyms of the smooth newt. In Europe its range is described as a large part of central and northern Europe in one account and as southern and central Europe in another. One UK account says it is found throughout the country except parts of western Scotland, the west of Wales, the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands and the Isles of Scilly, while a British Isles field guide also records it on Guernsey.

Diet

On land smooth newts eat insects, caterpillars, worms and slugs, and in water they take crustaceans, mollusks and tadpoles; in spring, adults hunt frog tadpoles. They come out after dark to feed on small invertebrates, and later in summer and in autumn they feed up on slugs and insects before winter.

Behavior

Smooth newts are active mainly at night — or most active at dusk and dawn, by another account — and by day during the breeding season, from March to June in the British Isles. On land they hide in moist places under stones or logs. They spend the winter under cover on land, in burrows, among tree roots, in old walls, under rocks, in compost heaps or buried in mud, and sometimes in the water; two accounts say they hibernate, while a third says they do not hibernate as such and may come out to forage in milder weather. They emerge in February or March, and in the UK they can be seen from March to October.

Every year they move between land and their breeding water. In the British Isles, part of the population migrates to the breeding water in autumn and probably spends the winter there, and the rest arrives in February and March. In southeastern Norway, newts began migrating after the first three consecutive days with mean temperatures close to or above 4°C, and smooth newts migrated at lower temperatures than another newt, T. cristatus, but depended on more rain. Most adults leave the water from mid-June to mid-July and stay very close to the pond.

Human Interaction & Conservation

Smooth newts readily colonize garden ponds, and in Ireland garden ponds and quarries are now significant parts of their habitat. Threats include habitat loss and reduced habitat connectivity. A UK conservation charity lists the species as protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, without saying what that protection covers.

The smooth newt had been sold in Australia's pet trade for decades before it was declared a controlled pest animal there in 1997, and it has since become established in southeastern Australia, likely from released or escaped captives — the first recorded case of a caudate species establishing beyond its native range in the southern hemisphere. Given its potential toxicity, researchers call for work to delimit its Australian range and identify potential impacts on biodiversity. IUCN's global assessment lists the smooth newt as Least Concern (2024).

Reproduction & Life Cycle

In the British Isles, smooth newts breed from March to June. After an elaborate courtship dance, the male transfers a spermatophore, which the female picks up with her cloaca; in one study, males showed a population bias for turning left during the transfer. In a breeding experiment, females paired in turn with two males produced young with more than one father in every mating, and successful males were genetically less similar to the female than expected by chance. Where the smooth newt meets the Carpathian newt the two readily interbreed and produce viable hybrids, but hybrids with the palmate newt are rare.

Females lay 150–300 eggs a season, from April to the end of June, wrapping each one in the leaf of a water plant. The larvae hatch after 1–3 weeks, or two to four weeks depending on the weather, by different accounts. They have feathery gills, grow their front legs before their hind legs, and metamorphose at about 4 cm; the young, called newtlets or efts, leave the water from July to October, and some larvae overwinter in the water and metamorphose in spring. Young newts often mature after two years, females somewhat later than males.

In captivity smooth newts can live up to 20 years, maybe longer, by a database whose source predates the taxonomic split, and in Scandinavia they may live up to 14 years; northern populations tend to mature later and live longer. A UK conservation charity gives an average lifespan of 6 years.

Sourced facts

Each value below is traced to the specific reference that states it. Open a row's evidence to see the source, where to look in it, and how firmly it supports the value. Sources checked 2026-10-20.

Sourced facts about the Smooth Newt, with the reference supporting each
Distinguishing traitsLight, grayish or olive-brown above, with a yellow to orange belly usually spotted black, a spotted throat and a dark stripe through the eye. Breeding males grow a high, continuous crest on the back and tail; on land the crest disappears and the skin turns dry and velvety.sources disagreeFemales have only a modest tail crest in the breeding season, and on land males are often darker than females. It looks very similar to the palmate newt, and on land it is sometimes mistaken for a lizard.
Sources disagree · Naturalis Biodiversity Center (Reptiles and Amphibians of the British Isles, Linnaeus NG), Froglife, The Wildlife Trusts — how we know

What each reading says

  • high, continuous, notched or undulating crest on the back and tail; almost smooth-edged while developing or being reabsorbed — Naturalis Biodiversity Center (Reptiles and Amphibians of the British Isles, Linnaeus NG), breeding males; British Isles field guide
  • wavy crest along the back — Froglife, breeding males; UK account
  • smooth crest running the full length of body and tail — The Wildlife Trusts, breeding males; UK account

The breeding male's crest is described as notched, undulating or wavy in two accounts — almost smooth-edged while it develops or is being reabsorbed, in one of them — but as smooth in a third.

Naturalis Biodiversity Center (Reptiles and Amphibians of the British Isles, Linnaeus NG)
Where
Naturalis Biodiversity Center: Identification; Froglife: Smooth Newt (Lissotriton vulgaris), introduction, Identification; The Wildlife Trusts: How to identify
Checked by FaunaHub
2026-10-20
Limits
Undated, unreferenced field-guide account written for the British Isles, where it calls the species 'Common Newt'. Its range line ('a large part of mid- and north Europe') does not mention the split of the smooth newt complex, and its 1-3 week hatching time differs from Froglife.
Froglife
Where
Naturalis Biodiversity Center: Identification; Froglife: Smooth Newt (Lissotriton vulgaris), introduction, Identification; The Wildlife Trusts: How to identify
Checked by FaunaHub
2026-10-20
Limits
UK charity page without references. Its European range ('throughout south and central Europe'), activity time ('dusk and dawn'), 10 cm maximum, 'wavy' crest, hatching time and view that smooth newts do not hibernate as such differ from other accounts.
The Wildlife Trusts
Where
Naturalis Biodiversity Center: Identification; Froglife: Smooth Newt (Lissotriton vulgaris), introduction, Identification; The Wildlife Trusts: How to identify
Checked by FaunaHub
2026-10-20
Limits
UK summary page without references; its statistics (length 7-11 cm, average lifespan 6 years) give no sex, sample or method. It describes the breeding male's crest as smooth, unlike other accounts, and says the species breeds 'in summer' in one place and 'during the spring' in another, so no breeding season was taken from it.
Geographic rangeUnder the 2017 split, occupies the northern part of the smooth newt complex's range in Europe and adjacent Asia, including Italy. Native to Britain and Ireland, where it is the most widespread native newt; introduced and established in southeastern Australia.sources disagreeA 2017 genetic study proposed raising four southern subspecies to species: L. graecus (southern Balkans), L. kosswigi (Black Sea coast east of Istanbul), L. schmidtleri (western Anatolia, Marmara coast) and L. lantzi (northern Caucasus, parts of Transcaucasia). ITIS (from ASW 6.2) lists lantzi and schmidtleri as synonyms of L. vulgaris. Older accounts often treat the whole complex as one species.
Sources disagree · Europe PMC (EMBL-EBI) full text of Herczeg et al. 2023, Ecology and Evolution (open access), ZooKeys, Pensoft Publishers (Wielstra, Bozkurt & Olgun 2015), Naturalis Biodiversity Center institutional repository (Wielstra et al. 2018, Amphibia-Reptilia), Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS), Naturalis Biodiversity Center (Reptiles and Amphibians of the British Isles, Linnaeus NG), Froglife, The Wildlife Trusts, Irish Wildlife Trust, Monash University research portal (Tingley et al. 2015, Biological Invasions) — how we know

What each reading says

  • a large part of central and northern Europe; the most widespread native newt of the British Isles, also on Guernsey and in Ireland — Naturalis Biodiversity Center (Reptiles and Amphibians of the British Isles, Linnaeus NG), European and British Isles range; British Isles field guide
  • throughout southern and central Europe; common and widespread throughout the UK including Ireland — Froglife, European and UK range; UK charity
  • throughout the country except parts of western Scotland, the west of Wales, the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands and the Isles of Scilly — The Wildlife Trusts, UK distribution; UK charity

The European extent differs: a large part of central and northern Europe in a British Isles field guide versus throughout southern and central Europe in a UK charity account. The field guide also lists Guernsey, while another UK account lists the Channel Islands among the places it is absent.

Europe PMC (EMBL-EBI) full text of Herczeg et al. 2023, Ecology and Evolution (open access)
Where
Europe PMC: Introduction; ZooKeys, Pensoft Publishers: Introduction; Naturalis Biodiversity Center institutional repository: Abstract; Integrated Taxonomic Information System: Taxonomy and Nomenclature: Synonym(s), References: Other Source(s); Naturalis Biodiversity Center: Range, Habitat; Froglife: Distribution; The Wildlife Trusts: Distribution; Irish Wildlife Trust: Smooth Newt Survey; Monash University research portal: Abstract
Checked by FaunaHub
2026-10-20
Limits
Read as XML from the Europe PMC full-text service because the publisher (Wiley) page returned HTTP 403 and the PMC page served a browser check. The range sentences are an introductory summary citing earlier work; the text misspells one taxon as 'kossingwi'.
ZooKeys, Pensoft Publishers (Wielstra, Bozkurt & Olgun 2015)
Where
Europe PMC: Introduction; ZooKeys, Pensoft Publishers: Introduction; Naturalis Biodiversity Center institutional repository: Abstract; Integrated Taxonomic Information System: Taxonomy and Nomenclature: Synonym(s), References: Other Source(s); Naturalis Biodiversity Center: Range, Habitat; Froglife: Distribution; The Wildlife Trusts: Distribution; Irish Wildlife Trust: Smooth Newt Survey; Monash University research portal: Abstract
Checked by FaunaHub
2026-10-20
Limits
Written before the 2017 proposal to split the complex; treats schmidtleri as a subspecies of L. vulgaris and focuses on Turkey.
Naturalis Biodiversity Center institutional repository (Wielstra et al. 2018, Amphibia-Reptilia)
Where
Europe PMC: Introduction; ZooKeys, Pensoft Publishers: Introduction; Naturalis Biodiversity Center institutional repository: Abstract; Integrated Taxonomic Information System: Taxonomy and Nomenclature: Synonym(s), References: Other Source(s); Naturalis Biodiversity Center: Range, Habitat; Froglife: Distribution; The Wildlife Trusts: Distribution; Irish Wildlife Trust: Smooth Newt Survey; Monash University research portal: Abstract
Checked by FaunaHub
2026-10-20
Limits
Abstract only: the Brill article page returned HTTP 403 and the full text is a PDF the text helper cannot read, so the paper's range maps were not used.
Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS)
Where
Europe PMC: Introduction; ZooKeys, Pensoft Publishers: Introduction; Naturalis Biodiversity Center institutional repository: Abstract; Integrated Taxonomic Information System: Taxonomy and Nomenclature: Synonym(s), References: Other Source(s); Naturalis Biodiversity Center: Range, Habitat; Froglife: Distribution; The Wildlife Trusts: Distribution; Irish Wildlife Trust: Smooth Newt Survey; Monash University research portal: Abstract
Checked by FaunaHub
2026-10-20
Limits
Registry record whose taxonomy comes from Amphibian Species of the World 6.2; it gives no distribution or comment explaining the synonymy.
Naturalis Biodiversity Center (Reptiles and Amphibians of the British Isles, Linnaeus NG)
Where
Europe PMC: Introduction; ZooKeys, Pensoft Publishers: Introduction; Naturalis Biodiversity Center institutional repository: Abstract; Integrated Taxonomic Information System: Taxonomy and Nomenclature: Synonym(s), References: Other Source(s); Naturalis Biodiversity Center: Range, Habitat; Froglife: Distribution; The Wildlife Trusts: Distribution; Irish Wildlife Trust: Smooth Newt Survey; Monash University research portal: Abstract
Checked by FaunaHub
2026-10-20
Limits
Undated, unreferenced field-guide account written for the British Isles, where it calls the species 'Common Newt'. Its range line ('a large part of mid- and north Europe') does not mention the split of the smooth newt complex, and its 1-3 week hatching time differs from Froglife.
Froglife
Where
Europe PMC: Introduction; ZooKeys, Pensoft Publishers: Introduction; Naturalis Biodiversity Center institutional repository: Abstract; Integrated Taxonomic Information System: Taxonomy and Nomenclature: Synonym(s), References: Other Source(s); Naturalis Biodiversity Center: Range, Habitat; Froglife: Distribution; The Wildlife Trusts: Distribution; Irish Wildlife Trust: Smooth Newt Survey; Monash University research portal: Abstract
Checked by FaunaHub
2026-10-20
Limits
UK charity page without references. Its European range ('throughout south and central Europe'), activity time ('dusk and dawn'), 10 cm maximum, 'wavy' crest, hatching time and view that smooth newts do not hibernate as such differ from other accounts.
The Wildlife Trusts
Where
Europe PMC: Introduction; ZooKeys, Pensoft Publishers: Introduction; Naturalis Biodiversity Center institutional repository: Abstract; Integrated Taxonomic Information System: Taxonomy and Nomenclature: Synonym(s), References: Other Source(s); Naturalis Biodiversity Center: Range, Habitat; Froglife: Distribution; The Wildlife Trusts: Distribution; Irish Wildlife Trust: Smooth Newt Survey; Monash University research portal: Abstract
Checked by FaunaHub
2026-10-20
Limits
UK summary page without references; its statistics (length 7-11 cm, average lifespan 6 years) give no sex, sample or method. It describes the breeding male's crest as smooth, unlike other accounts, and says the species breeds 'in summer' in one place and 'during the spring' in another, so no breeding season was taken from it.
Irish Wildlife Trust
Where
Europe PMC: Introduction; ZooKeys, Pensoft Publishers: Introduction; Naturalis Biodiversity Center institutional repository: Abstract; Integrated Taxonomic Information System: Taxonomy and Nomenclature: Synonym(s), References: Other Source(s); Naturalis Biodiversity Center: Range, Habitat; Froglife: Distribution; The Wildlife Trusts: Distribution; Irish Wildlife Trust: Smooth Newt Survey; Monash University research portal: Abstract
Checked by FaunaHub
2026-10-20
Limits
Summary of a volunteer survey run from 2010 to 2013; Irish scope only; no figures beyond place names.
Monash University research portal (Tingley et al. 2015, Biological Invasions)
Where
Europe PMC: Introduction; ZooKeys, Pensoft Publishers: Introduction; Naturalis Biodiversity Center institutional repository: Abstract; Integrated Taxonomic Information System: Taxonomy and Nomenclature: Synonym(s), References: Other Source(s); Naturalis Biodiversity Center: Range, Habitat; Froglife: Distribution; The Wildlife Trusts: Distribution; Irish Wildlife Trust: Smooth Newt Survey; Monash University research portal: Abstract
Checked by FaunaHub
2026-10-20
Limits
Abstract only; the full text was not read. It describes the Australian situation at the time of the surveys reported in 2015.
HabitatUses many open and wooded landscapes, including grassland, heathland, woodland, hedgerows, marshes, farmland, gardens, villages and towns. Breeds in still or slow-moving water, preferring small, shallow, sunny waters with dense vegetation.It also breeds at the edges of ponds and larger lakes and in slow stretches of rivers and streams, and is found locally up to 2000 m in Italy and Austria. In Ireland it also occurs in bogland. It tolerates dry conditions less well than the palmate newt.
Matches source · Naturalis Biodiversity Center (Reptiles and Amphibians of the British Isles, Linnaeus NG), The Wildlife Trusts, Irish Wildlife Trust, Froglife — how we know
Naturalis Biodiversity Center (Reptiles and Amphibians of the British Isles, Linnaeus NG)
Where
Naturalis Biodiversity Center: Habitat; The Wildlife Trusts: Species information: Habitats, About, Introduction; Irish Wildlife Trust: Smooth Newt Survey; Froglife: Smooth Newt (Lissotriton vulgaris), introduction
Checked by FaunaHub
2026-10-20
Limits
Undated, unreferenced field-guide account written for the British Isles, where it calls the species 'Common Newt'. Its range line ('a large part of mid- and north Europe') does not mention the split of the smooth newt complex, and its 1-3 week hatching time differs from Froglife.
The Wildlife Trusts
Where
Naturalis Biodiversity Center: Habitat; The Wildlife Trusts: Species information: Habitats, About, Introduction; Irish Wildlife Trust: Smooth Newt Survey; Froglife: Smooth Newt (Lissotriton vulgaris), introduction
Checked by FaunaHub
2026-10-20
Limits
UK summary page without references; its statistics (length 7-11 cm, average lifespan 6 years) give no sex, sample or method. It describes the breeding male's crest as smooth, unlike other accounts, and says the species breeds 'in summer' in one place and 'during the spring' in another, so no breeding season was taken from it.
Irish Wildlife Trust
Where
Naturalis Biodiversity Center: Habitat; The Wildlife Trusts: Species information: Habitats, About, Introduction; Irish Wildlife Trust: Smooth Newt Survey; Froglife: Smooth Newt (Lissotriton vulgaris), introduction
Checked by FaunaHub
2026-10-20
Limits
Summary of a volunteer survey run from 2010 to 2013; Irish scope only; no figures beyond place names.
Froglife
Where
Naturalis Biodiversity Center: Habitat; The Wildlife Trusts: Species information: Habitats, About, Introduction; Irish Wildlife Trust: Smooth Newt Survey; Froglife: Smooth Newt (Lissotriton vulgaris), introduction
Checked by FaunaHub
2026-10-20
Limits
UK charity page without references. Its European range ('throughout south and central Europe'), activity time ('dusk and dawn'), 10 cm maximum, 'wavy' crest, hatching time and view that smooth newts do not hibernate as such differ from other accounts.
DietOn land it eats insects, caterpillars, worms and slugs; in water it takes crustaceans, mollusks and tadpoles, and in spring adults hunt frog tadpoles.It comes out after dark to feed on small invertebrates, and later in summer and in autumn it feeds up on slugs and insects before winter.
Matches source · The Wildlife Trusts, Froglife, Naturalis Biodiversity Center (Reptiles and Amphibians of the British Isles, Linnaeus NG) — how we know
The Wildlife Trusts
Where
Did you know? (The Wildlife Trusts) · Ecology; A year in the life: Spring, Autumn (Froglife) · Habits (Naturalis)
Checked by FaunaHub
2026-10-20
Limits
UK summary page without references; its statistics (length 7-11 cm, average lifespan 6 years) give no sex, sample or method. It describes the breeding male's crest as smooth, unlike other accounts, and says the species breeds 'in summer' in one place and 'during the spring' in another, so no breeding season was taken from it.
Froglife
Where
Did you know? (The Wildlife Trusts) · Ecology; A year in the life: Spring, Autumn (Froglife) · Habits (Naturalis)
Checked by FaunaHub
2026-10-20
Limits
UK charity page without references. Its European range ('throughout south and central Europe'), activity time ('dusk and dawn'), 10 cm maximum, 'wavy' crest, hatching time and view that smooth newts do not hibernate as such differ from other accounts.
Naturalis Biodiversity Center (Reptiles and Amphibians of the British Isles, Linnaeus NG)
Where
Did you know? (The Wildlife Trusts) · Ecology; A year in the life: Spring, Autumn (Froglife) · Habits (Naturalis)
Checked by FaunaHub
2026-10-20
Limits
Undated, unreferenced field-guide account written for the British Isles, where it calls the species 'Common Newt'. Its range line ('a large part of mid- and north Europe') does not mention the split of the smooth newt complex, and its 1-3 week hatching time differs from Froglife.
Body sizeAdults reach up to 11 cm (mostly smaller) or up to 10 cm, by different accounts; another gives 7–11 cm. Males are somewhat larger than females.sources disagreeAll three are British or British Isles accounts that do not name the measure. Larvae hatch at 6–8 mm and grow to about 4 cm (30–40 mm before metamorphosis in another account); newly metamorphosed young are about 4 cm long.
Sources disagree · Naturalis Biodiversity Center (Reptiles and Amphibians of the British Isles, Linnaeus NG), Froglife, The Wildlife Trusts — how we know

What each reading says

  • up to 11 cm, mostly smaller; males somewhat larger than females — Naturalis Biodiversity Center (Reptiles and Amphibians of the British Isles, Linnaeus NG), adults; measure not named; British Isles field guide
  • 7–11 cm — The Wildlife Trusts, sex and measure not stated; UK account
  • adults up to 10 cm — Froglife, measure not named; UK account

Maximum adult length differs: up to 11 cm in two accounts versus up to 10 cm in a third.

Naturalis Biodiversity Center (Reptiles and Amphibians of the British Isles, Linnaeus NG)
Where
Naturalis Biodiversity Center: Identification, Habits; Froglife: Identification, Ecology; The Wildlife Trusts: Statistics
Checked by FaunaHub
2026-10-20
Limits
Undated, unreferenced field-guide account written for the British Isles, where it calls the species 'Common Newt'. Its range line ('a large part of mid- and north Europe') does not mention the split of the smooth newt complex, and its 1-3 week hatching time differs from Froglife.
Froglife
Where
Naturalis Biodiversity Center: Identification, Habits; Froglife: Identification, Ecology; The Wildlife Trusts: Statistics
Checked by FaunaHub
2026-10-20
Limits
UK charity page without references. Its European range ('throughout south and central Europe'), activity time ('dusk and dawn'), 10 cm maximum, 'wavy' crest, hatching time and view that smooth newts do not hibernate as such differ from other accounts.
The Wildlife Trusts
Where
Naturalis Biodiversity Center: Identification, Habits; Froglife: Identification, Ecology; The Wildlife Trusts: Statistics
Checked by FaunaHub
2026-10-20
Limits
UK summary page without references; its statistics (length 7-11 cm, average lifespan 6 years) give no sex, sample or method. It describes the breeding male's crest as smooth, unlike other accounts, and says the species breeds 'in summer' in one place and 'during the spring' in another, so no breeding season was taken from it.
LifespanCaptivity: up to 20 years, maybe longer. In Scandinavia: may live up to 14 years. Average lifespan: 6 years.Northern populations tend to mature later and live longer. The captive maximum is rated as based on a medium sample with acceptable data quality, and both longevity figures cite a 1994 paper on age determination and longevity in amphibians, which predates the taxonomic split of the smooth newt complex and names no population. The 6-year average comes from a UK conservation charity and gives no method or population.
Matches source · Human Ageing Genomic Resources: AnAge, The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database (Build 15), The Wildlife Trusts — how we know
Human Ageing Genomic Resources: AnAge, The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database (Build 15)
Where
Human Ageing Genomic Resources: AnAge, The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database: Lifespan, ageing, and relevant traits, Lifespan, ageing, and relevant traits: Observations, References; The Wildlife Trusts: Statistics
Checked by FaunaHub
2026-10-20
Limits
Both longevity statements cite Smirina (1994), which predates the split of the smooth newt complex; the captive animals' origin is not given. AnAge rates the sample size 'Medium' and data quality 'Acceptable'. The life-history averages (maturity, clutch size) are not tied to a specific reference, and the adult-weight field is empty.
The Wildlife Trusts
Where
Human Ageing Genomic Resources: AnAge, The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database: Lifespan, ageing, and relevant traits, Lifespan, ageing, and relevant traits: Observations, References; The Wildlife Trusts: Statistics
Checked by FaunaHub
2026-10-20
Limits
UK summary page without references; its statistics (length 7-11 cm, average lifespan 6 years) give no sex, sample or method. It describes the breeding male's crest as smooth, unlike other accounts, and says the species breeds 'in summer' in one place and 'during the spring' in another, so no breeding season was taken from it.
Activity patternActive mainly at night or at dusk and dawn, and also by day during the March–June breeding season. Winters under cover on land (burrows, tree roots, old walls, rocks, compost heaps, mud, cellars), sometimes in water, emerging in February or March.sources disagreeThe seasonal timings come from British Isles accounts. On land it hides in moist places under stones or logs. In the UK it can be seen from March to October.
Sources disagree · Naturalis Biodiversity Center (Reptiles and Amphibians of the British Isles, Linnaeus NG), The Wildlife Trusts, Froglife — how we know

What each reading says

  • mainly nocturnal, diurnal in the March–June breeding period; usually hibernates on land in burrows, often in cellars, sometimes in the water — Naturalis Biodiversity Center (Reptiles and Amphibians of the British Isles, Linnaeus NG), daily and winter activity; British Isles field guide
  • most active during the night; hibernates underground, among tree roots and in old walls — The Wildlife Trusts, daily and winter activity; UK account
  • most active at dusk and dawn; winters under rocks, in compost heaps or mud, occasionally in ponds, but does not hibernate as such and may forage in milder weather — Froglife, daily and winter activity; UK account

Daily activity: mainly nocturnal in two accounts but most active at dusk and dawn in a third. Winter: two accounts say it hibernates, while the third says it does not hibernate as such and may come out to forage in milder weather.

Naturalis Biodiversity Center (Reptiles and Amphibians of the British Isles, Linnaeus NG)
Where
Habits (Naturalis) · About; Did you know?; When to see (The Wildlife Trusts) · Ecology; A year in the life: Winter (Froglife)
Checked by FaunaHub
2026-10-20
Limits
Undated, unreferenced field-guide account written for the British Isles, where it calls the species 'Common Newt'. Its range line ('a large part of mid- and north Europe') does not mention the split of the smooth newt complex, and its 1-3 week hatching time differs from Froglife.
The Wildlife Trusts
Where
Habits (Naturalis) · About; Did you know?; When to see (The Wildlife Trusts) · Ecology; A year in the life: Winter (Froglife)
Checked by FaunaHub
2026-10-20
Limits
UK summary page without references; its statistics (length 7-11 cm, average lifespan 6 years) give no sex, sample or method. It describes the breeding male's crest as smooth, unlike other accounts, and says the species breeds 'in summer' in one place and 'during the spring' in another, so no breeding season was taken from it.
Froglife
Where
Habits (Naturalis) · About; Did you know?; When to see (The Wildlife Trusts) · Ecology; A year in the life: Winter (Froglife)
Checked by FaunaHub
2026-10-20
Limits
UK charity page without references. Its European range ('throughout south and central Europe'), activity time ('dusk and dawn'), 10 cm maximum, 'wavy' crest, hatching time and view that smooth newts do not hibernate as such differ from other accounts.
Social structureMating involves male courtship and a spermatophore, which the male transfers and the female picks up with her cloaca. Where it meets the Carpathian newt the two readily interbreed and produce viable hybrids, but hybrids with the palmate newt are rare.Males perform an elaborate courtship dance. In a breeding experiment, 12 females each paired in turn with two males produced offspring (578 analyzed) with multiple paternity in all matings; successful males were genetically less similar to the female than expected by chance. In one study, males showed a population bias for turning left during spermatophore transfer.
Matches source · Froglife, Europe PMC (EMBL-EBI) abstract record: Green 1997, Animal Behaviour, Europe PMC (EMBL-EBI) abstract record: Jehle et al. 2007, Biology Letters, Europe PMC (EMBL-EBI) abstract record: Osikowski 2012, Zoological Science, Naturalis Biodiversity Center (Reptiles and Amphibians of the British Isles, Linnaeus NG) — how we know
Froglife
Where
A year in the life: Spring (Froglife) · Abstract (Green; Jehle et al.; Osikowski) · Habits (Naturalis)
Checked by FaunaHub
2026-10-20
Limits
UK charity page without references. Its European range ('throughout south and central Europe'), activity time ('dusk and dawn'), 10 cm maximum, 'wavy' crest, hatching time and view that smooth newts do not hibernate as such differ from other accounts.
Europe PMC (EMBL-EBI) abstract record: Green 1997, Animal Behaviour
Where
A year in the life: Spring (Froglife) · Abstract (Green; Jehle et al.; Osikowski) · Habits (Naturalis)
Checked by FaunaHub
2026-10-20
Limits
Abstract only; uses the older name Triturus vulgaris and does not name the study population.
Europe PMC (EMBL-EBI) abstract record: Jehle et al. 2007, Biology Letters
Where
A year in the life: Spring (Froglife) · Abstract (Green; Jehle et al.; Osikowski) · Habits (Naturalis)
Checked by FaunaHub
2026-10-20
Limits
Abstract only (the Salford repository and PMC pages served bot challenges). A breeding experiment with 12 females; the population of origin is not stated in the abstract.
Europe PMC (EMBL-EBI) abstract record: Osikowski 2012, Zoological Science
Where
A year in the life: Spring (Froglife) · Abstract (Green; Jehle et al.; Osikowski) · Habits (Naturalis)
Checked by FaunaHub
2026-10-20
Limits
Abstract only; concerns the areas where smooth and Carpathian newts co-occur.
Naturalis Biodiversity Center (Reptiles and Amphibians of the British Isles, Linnaeus NG)
Where
A year in the life: Spring (Froglife) · Abstract (Green; Jehle et al.; Osikowski) · Habits (Naturalis)
Checked by FaunaHub
2026-10-20
Limits
Undated, unreferenced field-guide account written for the British Isles, where it calls the species 'Common Newt'. Its range line ('a large part of mid- and north Europe') does not mention the split of the smooth newt complex, and its 1-3 week hatching time differs from Froglife.
ReproductionIn the British Isles, breeds from March to June; females lay 150–300 eggs a season between April and the end of June, wrapping each in a water-plant leaf. Larvae have feathery gills, grow front legs before hind legs and metamorphose at about 4 cm; young often mature after two years.sources disagreeLarvae sometimes overwinter in the water and metamorphose in spring; the young, called newtlets or efts, leave the water from July to October. Females mature somewhat later than males (database averages: 730 days for males, 1,095 days for females; clutch size 180). The database names no population and may cover the broader complex; the seasonal timings come from British Isles accounts.
Sources disagree · Naturalis Biodiversity Center (Reptiles and Amphibians of the British Isles, Linnaeus NG), Froglife, Human Ageing Genomic Resources: AnAge, The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database (Build 15) — how we know

What each reading says

  • eggs hatch after 1–3 weeks; larvae 6–8 mm at hatching; metamorphosis after 6–10 weeks — Naturalis Biodiversity Center (Reptiles and Amphibians of the British Isles, Linnaeus NG), British Isles field guide
  • larvae hatch two to four weeks after the eggs are laid, depending on local weather; front legs start to grow a couple of months after hatching — Froglife, UK account

Hatching time differs: after 1–3 weeks in one account versus two to four weeks after laying, depending on local weather, in another.

Naturalis Biodiversity Center (Reptiles and Amphibians of the British Isles, Linnaeus NG)
Where
Habits (Naturalis) · A year in the life: Spring, Summer (Froglife) · Life history traits (averages) (AnAge)
Checked by FaunaHub
2026-10-20
Limits
Undated, unreferenced field-guide account written for the British Isles, where it calls the species 'Common Newt'. Its range line ('a large part of mid- and north Europe') does not mention the split of the smooth newt complex, and its 1-3 week hatching time differs from Froglife.
Froglife
Where
Habits (Naturalis) · A year in the life: Spring, Summer (Froglife) · Life history traits (averages) (AnAge)
Checked by FaunaHub
2026-10-20
Limits
UK charity page without references. Its European range ('throughout south and central Europe'), activity time ('dusk and dawn'), 10 cm maximum, 'wavy' crest, hatching time and view that smooth newts do not hibernate as such differ from other accounts.
Human Ageing Genomic Resources: AnAge, The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database (Build 15)
Where
Habits (Naturalis) · A year in the life: Spring, Summer (Froglife) · Life history traits (averages) (AnAge)
Checked by FaunaHub
2026-10-20
Limits
Both longevity statements cite Smirina (1994), which predates the split of the smooth newt complex; the captive animals' origin is not given. AnAge rates the sample size 'Medium' and data quality 'Acceptable'. The life-history averages (maturity, clutch size) are not tied to a specific reference, and the adult-weight field is empty.
MovementMoves seasonally between land and breeding water; in the British Isles some adults migrate to ponds in autumn and probably spend the winter there, the rest in February and March. Most adults leave the water from mid-June to mid-July and stay very close to the pond; young leave from July to October.Adults head to a pond to breed after leaving overwintering sites in early spring. In southeastern Norway, newts began migrating after the first three consecutive days with mean temperatures close to or above 4°C; smooth newts migrated at lower temperatures than T. cristatus but depended on more rain.
Matches source · Naturalis Biodiversity Center (Reptiles and Amphibians of the British Isles, Linnaeus NG), Froglife, Europe PMC (EMBL-EBI) abstract record: Dervo et al. 2016, Scientifica — how we know
Naturalis Biodiversity Center (Reptiles and Amphibians of the British Isles, Linnaeus NG)
Where
Habits (Naturalis) · A year in the life: Spring (Froglife) · Title; Abstract (Dervo et al.)
Checked by FaunaHub
2026-10-20
Limits
Undated, unreferenced field-guide account written for the British Isles, where it calls the species 'Common Newt'. Its range line ('a large part of mid- and north Europe') does not mention the split of the smooth newt complex, and its 1-3 week hatching time differs from Froglife.
Froglife
Where
Habits (Naturalis) · A year in the life: Spring (Froglife) · Title; Abstract (Dervo et al.)
Checked by FaunaHub
2026-10-20
Limits
UK charity page without references. Its European range ('throughout south and central Europe'), activity time ('dusk and dawn'), 10 cm maximum, 'wavy' crest, hatching time and view that smooth newts do not hibernate as such differ from other accounts.
Europe PMC (EMBL-EBI) abstract record: Dervo et al. 2016, Scientifica
Where
Habits (Naturalis) · A year in the life: Spring (Froglife) · Title; Abstract (Dervo et al.)
Checked by FaunaHub
2026-10-20
Limits
Abstract only; southern Norway; the temperature threshold is stated for the first migrating newts of both species studied (great crested and smooth newts).
Human interactionProtected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981; readily colonizes garden ponds. Long sold in Australia's pet trade, it was declared a controlled pest animal in 1997 and has since established in southeastern Australia, likely from released or escaped captives.The UK protection is stated by a conservation charity without saying what it covers. It is the first recorded case of a caudate species establishing beyond its native range in the southern hemisphere. Researchers call for work to delimit its Australian range and identify biodiversity impacts, given its potential toxicity. In Ireland, garden ponds and quarries are now significant habitats. Threats include habitat loss and reduced habitat connectivity.
Matches source · The Wildlife Trusts, Froglife, Naturalis Biodiversity Center (Reptiles and Amphibians of the British Isles, Linnaeus NG), Monash University research portal (Tingley et al. 2015, Biological Invasions), Irish Wildlife Trust — how we know
The Wildlife Trusts
Where
The Wildlife Trusts: Statistics; Conservation status; Froglife: Smooth Newt (Lissotriton vulgaris), introduction, Predators and other threats; Naturalis Biodiversity Center: How to find; Monash University research portal: Abstract; Irish Wildlife Trust: Smooth Newt Survey
Checked by FaunaHub
2026-10-20
Limits
UK summary page without references; its statistics (length 7-11 cm, average lifespan 6 years) give no sex, sample or method. It describes the breeding male's crest as smooth, unlike other accounts, and says the species breeds 'in summer' in one place and 'during the spring' in another, so no breeding season was taken from it.
Froglife
Where
The Wildlife Trusts: Statistics; Conservation status; Froglife: Smooth Newt (Lissotriton vulgaris), introduction, Predators and other threats; Naturalis Biodiversity Center: How to find; Monash University research portal: Abstract; Irish Wildlife Trust: Smooth Newt Survey
Checked by FaunaHub
2026-10-20
Limits
UK charity page without references. Its European range ('throughout south and central Europe'), activity time ('dusk and dawn'), 10 cm maximum, 'wavy' crest, hatching time and view that smooth newts do not hibernate as such differ from other accounts.
Naturalis Biodiversity Center (Reptiles and Amphibians of the British Isles, Linnaeus NG)
Where
The Wildlife Trusts: Statistics; Conservation status; Froglife: Smooth Newt (Lissotriton vulgaris), introduction, Predators and other threats; Naturalis Biodiversity Center: How to find; Monash University research portal: Abstract; Irish Wildlife Trust: Smooth Newt Survey
Checked by FaunaHub
2026-10-20
Limits
Undated, unreferenced field-guide account written for the British Isles, where it calls the species 'Common Newt'. Its range line ('a large part of mid- and north Europe') does not mention the split of the smooth newt complex, and its 1-3 week hatching time differs from Froglife.
Monash University research portal (Tingley et al. 2015, Biological Invasions)
Where
The Wildlife Trusts: Statistics; Conservation status; Froglife: Smooth Newt (Lissotriton vulgaris), introduction, Predators and other threats; Naturalis Biodiversity Center: How to find; Monash University research portal: Abstract; Irish Wildlife Trust: Smooth Newt Survey
Checked by FaunaHub
2026-10-20
Limits
Abstract only; the full text was not read. It describes the Australian situation at the time of the surveys reported in 2015.
Irish Wildlife Trust
Where
The Wildlife Trusts: Statistics; Conservation status; Froglife: Smooth Newt (Lissotriton vulgaris), introduction, Predators and other threats; Naturalis Biodiversity Center: How to find; Monash University research portal: Abstract; Irish Wildlife Trust: Smooth Newt Survey
Checked by FaunaHub
2026-10-20
Limits
Summary of a volunteer survey run from 2010 to 2013; Irish scope only; no figures beyond place names.
Conservation statusLeast Concern (LC), global assessment, 2024
Matches source · IUCN Red List of Threatened Species — how we know
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Checked by FaunaHub
2026-10-20
Limits
Read from the Red List export IUCN publishes to GBIF; iucnredlist.org itself does not answer automated reads. Categories are reassessed over time.

Not stated here, and why

Body mass— no source accepted yet
No accepted source read gives a body mass for L. vulgaris as now delimited: the Naturalis, Froglife and Wildlife Trusts accounts state none and AnAge's adult-weight field is empty. Europe PMC abstracts found for 'smooth newt' and body mass give no figures, and a 2026 Bulgarian field study that weighed adults treats L. vulgaris in the broad sense (including the Balkans, western Turkey and the Caucasus), so it was not used.

References for the facts above

  • UniversityNaturalis Biodiversity Center (Reptiles and Amphibians of the British Isles, Linnaeus NG)Supports: identification, range, habitat, diet, body-size, activity, social-structure, reproduction, movement, human-interaction. Retrieved 2026-10-20.Limitations: Undated, unreferenced field-guide account written for the British Isles, where it calls the species 'Common Newt'. Its range line ('a large part of mid- and north Europe') does not mention the split of the smooth newt complex, and its 1-3 week hatching time differs from Froglife.
  • Wildlife referenceFroglifeSupports: identification, range, habitat, diet, body-size, activity, social-structure, reproduction, movement, human-interaction. Retrieved 2026-10-20.Limitations: UK charity page without references. Its European range ('throughout south and central Europe'), activity time ('dusk and dawn'), 10 cm maximum, 'wavy' crest, hatching time and view that smooth newts do not hibernate as such differ from other accounts.
  • Wildlife referenceThe Wildlife TrustsSupports: identification, range, habitat, diet, body-size, lifespan, activity, human-interaction. Retrieved 2026-10-20.Limitations: UK summary page without references; its statistics (length 7-11 cm, average lifespan 6 years) give no sex, sample or method. It describes the breeding male's crest as smooth, unlike other accounts, and says the species breeds 'in summer' in one place and 'during the spring' in another, so no breeding season was taken from it.
  • Wildlife referenceIrish Wildlife TrustSupports: range, habitat, human-interaction. Retrieved 2026-10-20.Limitations: Summary of a volunteer survey run from 2010 to 2013; Irish scope only; no figures beyond place names.
  • ReferenceHuman Ageing Genomic Resources: AnAge, The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database (Build 15)Supports: lifespan, reproduction. Retrieved 2026-10-20.Limitations: Both longevity statements cite Smirina (1994), which predates the split of the smooth newt complex; the captive animals' origin is not given. AnAge rates the sample size 'Medium' and data quality 'Acceptable'. The life-history averages (maturity, clutch size) are not tied to a specific reference, and the adult-weight field is empty.
  • UniversityMonash University research portal (Tingley et al. 2015, Biological Invasions)Supports: range (introduced range), human-interaction. Retrieved 2026-10-20.Limitations: Abstract only; the full text was not read. It describes the Australian situation at the time of the surveys reported in 2015.
  • ReferenceEurope PMC (EMBL-EBI) full text of Herczeg et al. 2023, Ecology and Evolution (open access)Supports: range (delimitation of L. vulgaris and the ranges of the four former subspecies raised to species). Retrieved 2026-10-20.Limitations: Read as XML from the Europe PMC full-text service because the publisher (Wiley) page returned HTTP 403 and the PMC page served a browser check. The range sentences are an introductory summary citing earlier work; the text misspells one taxon as 'kossingwi'.
  • UniversityNaturalis Biodiversity Center institutional repository (Wielstra et al. 2018, Amphibia-Reptilia)Supports: range (species complex and the five-species proposal; L. montandoni as sister species). Retrieved 2026-10-20.Limitations: Abstract only: the Brill article page returned HTTP 403 and the full text is a PDF the text helper cannot read, so the paper's range maps were not used.
  • ReferenceZooKeys, Pensoft Publishers (Wielstra, Bozkurt & Olgun 2015)Supports: range (the smooth newt group as a whole occurs in Europe and adjacent Asia). Retrieved 2026-10-20.Limitations: Written before the 2017 proposal to split the complex; treats schmidtleri as a subspecies of L. vulgaris and focuses on Turkey.
  • ReferenceIntegrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS)Supports: range (how the authority's data treat L. lantzi and L. schmidtleri); identity. Retrieved 2026-10-20.Limitations: Registry record whose taxonomy comes from Amphibian Species of the World 6.2; it gives no distribution or comment explaining the synonymy.
  • ReferenceEurope PMC (EMBL-EBI) abstract record: Jehle et al. 2007, Biology LettersSupports: social-structure. Retrieved 2026-10-20.Limitations: Abstract only (the Salford repository and PMC pages served bot challenges). A breeding experiment with 12 females; the population of origin is not stated in the abstract.
  • ReferenceEurope PMC (EMBL-EBI) abstract record: Green 1997, Animal BehaviourSupports: social-structure. Retrieved 2026-10-20.Limitations: Abstract only; uses the older name Triturus vulgaris and does not name the study population.
  • ReferenceEurope PMC (EMBL-EBI) abstract record: Osikowski 2012, Zoological ScienceSupports: social-structure. Retrieved 2026-10-20.Limitations: Abstract only; concerns the areas where smooth and Carpathian newts co-occur.
  • ReferenceEurope PMC (EMBL-EBI) abstract record: Dervo et al. 2016, ScientificaSupports: movement. Retrieved 2026-10-20.Limitations: Abstract only; southern Norway; the temperature threshold is stated for the first migrating newts of both species studied (great crested and smooth newts).
  • ReferenceIUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesSupports: The global Red List category and the year of the assessment. Retrieved 2026-10-20.Limitations: Read from the Red List export IUCN publishes to GBIF; iucnredlist.org itself does not answer automated reads. Categories are reassessed over time.

Frequently Asked Questions — Smooth Newt

When do male smooth newts have a crest?
In the breeding season — March to June in the British Isles — males grow a high, continuous crest along the back and tail. On land the crest disappears and the skin turns dry and velvety.
How big is a smooth newt?
Adults reach up to 11 cm, mostly less, or up to 10 cm, by different accounts. Males are somewhat larger than females.
What do smooth newts eat?
Insects, caterpillars, worms and slugs on land, and crustaceans, mollusks and tadpoles in water; in spring, adults hunt frog tadpoles.
Where do smooth newts spend the winter?
Mostly on land, under cover in burrows, among tree roots, in old walls, under rocks, in compost heaps or in mud, and sometimes in the water. Accounts differ on whether they truly hibernate.

Sources and further reading

Authoritative wildlife references used for general educational context. Conservation status should always be verified against current IUCN Red List data. External links open in a new tab.