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Triturus Vulgaris


Triturus Vulgaris
Photo Information
Copyright: Jean Michel Peers (JeanMichel) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 633 W: 87 N: 938] (2864)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2005-03-26
Categories: Amphibians
Camera: Sony DSC-F717, Zeiss 2/9,7-48,5
Exposure: f/8, 1/13 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Amphibians - Salamanders & Newts 1 [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2005-03-27 12:51
Viewed: 2769
Points: 36
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
TRITURUS VULGARIS (Smooth or Common Newt) Class: Amphibia, Order: Urodela, Family: Salamandridae, Genus: Triturus.
*IDENTIFICATION
Tailed Amphibian-Smooth velvety skin
Dorsal surface and flanks: Females - light brown colouration with darker spots or speckles.
Males - brown/olive green or tan with black spots
Ventral surface, creamy yellow or orange, black spotting on the belly.
The throat is creamy white and lighter than the belly, usually spotted or speckled.
Length: 10 - 11 cm
*SEXING
Males are smaller than females, during the breeding season they develop a wavy crest; continuous from head to tail. Males also have fringing on the hind toes at this time.
*EGGS
The female deposits her eggs individually on aquatic plants, carefully wrapping each egg in a leaf. It is impossible to distinguish the eggs of the Smooth Newt from those of the Palmate Newt in the field.
*WHAT ELSE COULD IT BE?
It can be very difficult to distinguish the Smooth Newt from the Palmate Newt (Triturus helveticus). Male smooth newts have a much more developed wavy dorsal crest in the breeding season. Females are particularly difficult to tell apart, similiar in size, the best pointer is the darker spotting or speckling on the throats of Smooth Newts.
The Great Crested Newt (Triturus cristatus), our only other native tailed amphibian, is a much larger creature at 15-18 cm. Very dark in appearance with distinctly warty skin.
Ventral surface of a male Smooth Newt, showing the spotted throat that helps to distinguish them from the similar Palmate Newt.
*WHERE WILL I SEE A SMOOTH NEWT?
The Smooth or Common Newt as it is also known, has the widest distribution of our native newts. They emerge from hibernation in March, they breed through to May and generally the adult newts leave the water in July. They spend the rest of the summer and winter very close to the breeding pond, hiding in leaf litter, long grass and under stones. This is known as the "terrestrial stage", the males absorb their crests and become more drab in appearance. The newts come out to feed after dark on small invertebrates as they prepare for hibernation in late September. These newts are very likely to make use of garden ponds and will be most often seen during the aquatic stage, when they will rise to the surface of the pond to gulp air. It is found throughout much of Europe and Britain but absent from northern Scandinavia, parts of Russia, and most of the south including Spain, Portugal, southern France and Italy.
Protected with respect to sale.
Above information from this site
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Captured near the pond at night time. At this period of the year, after 6 months hibernation,
they come out for laying eggs in the water vegetation.
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Halogen reflector, camera on the ground. ISO 100, tungsten light setting. Cropped, levels and USM.
Luc, marhowie, red45, fungiman, Janice, TAZ, Callie, gerhardt, PDP, deud, dsidwell, Leace, touristdidi, angybone has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To Callie: To be frankJeanMichel 1 03-28 16:18
To Luc: nouveau 'look'...Luc 2 03-28 15:15
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • Fisher Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1540 W: 309 N: 2234] (8915)
  • [2005-03-27 12:57]

A beautiful capture and composition. You did well with this one.
There is a digital flaw though, not your fault, there are "cooked," whites.

Mike

Jean, I like the composition. It gives the impression that this Newt is crawling right out of the frame..Very good sharpness & detail with the green grass giving good contrast for your subject. Well done!

  • Great 
  • Luc Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1872 W: 304 N: 4301] (14733)
  • [2005-03-27 14:02]
  • [+]

Oh la la! Pas évidente à prendre, cette photo, Jean-Michel!
La nuit, avec un éclairage d'appoint, caméra au sol, un travail de moine! ;-)
Vous me rappelez les salamandres de mon enfance. Seulement ça vaudrait quelques centaines de :)s.
Merci beaucoup pour la photo et la note + le lien.

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2705 W: 74 N: 8864] (30243)
  • [2005-03-27 14:11]

Great POV Jean Michel! Cool animals with very good carpet of green fresh grass. Excellent note.

Interesting post and good notes. The green and browns go well together.

  • Great 
  • jossim Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1575 W: 5 N: 2181] (12252)
  • [2005-03-27 17:28]

Fantastique photo, l'éclairage et les couleurs sont parfaits. J'aime bien les contrastes de couleurs avec le Bg gris foncé, les salamandes dorées et le vert écarlate de l'herbe, font de cette prise une excellente composition.

FÉLICITATION !!!

  • Great 
  • Janice Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3315 W: 148 N: 6113] (18648)
  • [2005-03-27 19:20]

The details and composition are great Jean Michel and I like the newts on the green grassy rise. The front one looks so clear and shiny. Well done.
Interesting notes too. TFS.

  • Great 
  • TAZ Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2241 W: 47 N: 3167] (10926)
  • [2005-03-28 3:32]

Belle composition photographique pour ces beaux amphibiens. Dommage que la note soit qu'en Anglais ;-)
Well done !

Very good composition, great pose and colours.
Well done.
TFS.

The "salamander", we had a lot of them in ponds in my younger years, but these days, I don't know if they are still here, I don't see them anymore, a pity. Nice pose this cute little one gives. Good colour against the green grass, nice pic, Jean Michel.

  • Great 
  • Toni Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 403 W: 2 N: 316] (2034)
  • [2005-03-28 9:23]

Belle composition. Les détails du lézard sur l'herbe sont magnifiques.
Salutations.
Toni

Hi Jean Michel
A nice creepy type this, we do not have them in SA, too dry. This one made a nice Siamese Twin, and I like the "King of the Hill" feeling here.
Are you sure you did not nail them in this posiion? Look at the "nail" between them. lol

Great shot, Jean Michel. Impressive POV. Very interesting critter and write up. Excellent exposure for night time. Very well done.

  • Great 
  • PDP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor [C: 2821 W: 344 N: 3779] (11769)
  • [2005-03-28 16:14]

Excellent Jean Michel! I love newts and you have caught these in just the right light. Lovely composition and colours - a beautiful shot. These amphibians are not scared because newts legs are not very nutritious.

I used to collect newts and salamanders, so this image is very interesting to me. Intimate feel to it, and a lovely beast! Depth of field works very well.

  • Great 
  • honza Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 537 W: 0 N: 716] (4191)
  • [2005-04-11 16:03]

Nice shot of the newt. Perfect composition and nice colors and sharpness.

My youngest son had newts for years. I had to keep them in a bowl with a curved top. They escaped from everything else. These are very different looking. His California newts looked dry.

Fascinating photo of fascinating creatures!

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