File talk:Smooth Newt larva (aka).jpg

This file has been used in:   Barbara Akre (June 24, 2008). "Cellular Respiration - Lesson 1: Powering the Cell: Cellular Respiration and Glycolysis". CK-12 Flexbooks.

This is Triturus alpestris. It has a pointed tail end typical for this species . Some larvae (for instance the larvae I always encounter have indeed a very blunt tail end, but this typical point is also indicative of the species). Because the gills are pigmentend and not red this is surely Lissotriton alpestris. Also the dark marmored color is indicative of this species.Viridiflavus 29 mrt 2007 18:53 (CEST)

Hello Viridiflavus. You surely meant Mesotriton, not Lissotriton, didn't you? (I still prefer Triturus ...) Anyway. When aka asked for a determination of this newt larva, I had a long discussion with myself: Alpine Newt or Smooth Newt? At last I overweighted the Smooth Newt, but wasn't really happy with that. In fact, the very dark marmor pigmentation spoke against that decision. Most Smooth Newt larvae are yellow-brownish coloured and not so dark-spotted - but on the other hand: not everyone! Sometimes darker individuals can be caught (in landscapes where Alpine Newts are proved to be absent).

I still have a problem with the perspective of the photo. A lateral view would have been more helpful to identify the shape and the ending of the tail. In this dorsal view I can't see a straight-cut top side, a blunt tail end or a thorn at the tail's end. But in spite of that, when I take a second/third/fourth look at the photo - with all the black areas on the tail - I would now also prefer Triturus alpestris a little bit.

From where is your information about the pigmentation of the gills? Is it really obligatorious that Smooth Newt larvae don't have any spots or darker colours there? (I haven't read that before; e.g. Nöllert & Nöllert 1992 don't write so.) -- Fice 21:11, 21 June 2007 (UTC)