Identification by belly pattern

[neil]

Can the belly patterns and colours of the similar Triturus species, especially the females, be used as an indentifier as to which is which?

 

[JM29]

Hello !

That seems difficult to me.
I remember the variuous patterns among individuals of a single population.
In the 80's, a guide showed illustrations of typical patterns of cristatus, carnifex, dobrogicus and karelini, but now with newly described ivanbureschi and macedonicus, I'm not sure it remains relevant.

 

[neil]

If belly patterns can't be used, is there a definitive to differentiate between female crostatas and karelinii?

 

[JM29]

Well, if you have only cristatus and/or karelinii, you can trust the throat :
- dark with wight fleckes for cristatus, dobrogicus, carnifex, macedonicus,
- orange/red like the belly, with black dots, for karelinii, ivanbureschi


There are good picture in :
https://www.caudata.org/cc/species/Triturus/Triturus_sp.shtml