TRITURUS ALPESTRIS (LAURENTI, 1768)
ALPINE TRITON

Order Caudate Amphibious Class - Caudata Scopoli, 1777 or Urodela Latreille, 1825

Family Salamandrids or True Salamanders - Salamandridae Goldfuss, 1820

Genus Newts - Triturus Rafinesque, 1815

The Genus includes 14 European and western Asian species united into 4 subgenera or genera. On the territory of Ukraine, there are 6 species: Alpine Triton, Triturus (Mesotriton) alpestris (Laurenti, 1768), Cristate Triton, Triturus (Triturus) cristatus (Laurenti, 1768), Danube Triton, Triturus (Triturus) dobrogicus (Kiritzescu, 1903), Karelin Triton, Triturus (Triturus) karelinii (Strauch, 1870), Carpathian Triton, Triturus (Lophinus) montandoni (Boulenger, 1880) and Common Triton, Triturus (Lophinus) vulgaris (Linnaeus, 1758).
Out of the 6 European subspecies of Alpine Triton, in the fauna of Ukraine only one species is registered - T. alpestris alpestris (Laurenti, 1768). Beyond Ukraine the natural habitat of the species is related to the mountain systems of the Iberian and Balkan Peninsulas, the Carpathians, the Alps, the territories north of Denmark, in the west - up to northern and eastern France, Belgium, the Netherlands inclusive, in the south - up to Peloponnesus Peninsula in Greece and Calabria Peninsula in southern Italy (there are also isolated populations in north-western and central Spain).

The size of the body (including the tail) averages approximately 80 mm in males and 90 mm in females. Palatine teeth look like two elongated lines meeting in the front and parting in the back. In the reproduction season, while in water, the triton’s skin is smooth while when transferred back to land it is sparsely grainy. The spinal crest is insignificantly developed and represented by a low skin fold; while females have none of it. The coloration in the reproduction season is very bright. Males have bright blue spots on the general black and brown background, a black-spotted brown and a silver line with black and blue-framed spots runs along the sides of the body, the belly is orange. The coloration of females in general is similar to that of males but is not as bright; in the upper part of the body the skin is somewhat marmoreal. After the reproduction season, the coloration fades out. Cloacal lips of males are more developed as compared to those of females, they are orange with a dark cherry edging.

Status. II Category of the Red Book of Ukraine - "endangered species"; the species is also listed in the Appendix III of the Bern Convention ("animal species under protection").

Biotopes. They live in the mountainous and forest zone, more often near water bodies (lakes, rivers, streams). Alpine Tritons are also frequent in the sub alpine zone (on poloninas/mountain valleys). There is data that tritons of this species, especially in the mountains, avoid clean water bodies and prefer rather silty ones. On the other hand, these animals allegedly do prefer clean water.

Number and Tendencies to Change. In the reproduction season, their number in typical biotopes of their habitat in the Carpathians ranges from 1 до to 80-100 ones 100 m of the coast line, although upon their mating their number here decreases to 1-15 ones per 100 m of the route. Special research of the past years conducted in 50 different types of biogeoctnoses on the territory of Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk and Transcarpathia oblasts show that tritons of this species are found almost in 70% of biogeocenoses. Its average density usually amounted here to 3-7 ones/m². According to the records, at the Uzhoksk pass at the height of 855 m above sea level in late June 2004 (the border of Lviv and Transcarpathia oblasts, N 49°00.051, EO 22°53.768) the number of this species amounted to 8 ones per 100 m of the route.

Biological Characteristics. Appearance after winter hibernation usually happens in low-lying rayons in late March and in April in the mountains. The optimum temperature for mating games and spawning is witching 11-17°С. Females of Alpine Tritons attach spawn to aquatic plants at the depth of 10-50 cm, if there is none - to various subaquatic objects (stones, sticks). Spawn berries are laid separately or as short cords, the period of spawn development at 18-21°С is approximately 8-10 days. The term of the metamorphosis also depends on the temperature and in natural conditions lasts 3-4 months. Upon the reproduction season (late June - early July), Alpine Tritons are often found on land and then it is noted that males leave water bodies 1-2 weeks earlier than females. During the surface period they use the same type of shelter as other species of caudate amphibians - leaf bedding, cracks and holes under stones, fallen trees, and tree stumps. Many of such shelters are used for winter hibernation. Reproductive maturity begins when they are 3-4 years old.