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Palmate or Smooth?

Printed From: Reptiles and Amphibians of the UK
Category: General
Forum Name: What is it?
Forum Description: Seen something in the wild and wondering what it is? This is the place to ask
URL: http://www.herpetofauna.co.uk/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=663
Printed Date: 29 Mar 2024 at 8:58am
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Topic: Palmate or Smooth?
Posted By: Donny
Subject: Palmate or Smooth?
Date Posted: 30 Jul 2004 at 6:51pm

Sorry, no pics...just something I have wondered about for a long time. It is said that it is difficult to distinguish between females of the above mentioned species, but I have never found this to be the case. Where I live, Smooth newts have orange bellies with large spots, and Palmates have yellow bellies with none or a very few small spots..in addition, Palmate Newts here are always lighter coloured...maybe it's just my local population...any of you experts have trouble telling between the two?




Replies:
Posted By: test
Date Posted: 01 Aug 2004 at 4:54pm

Hi Donny,

I wouldn't have much problem telling them apart when in the hand, the difficulty of field identification relates more to torch survey when it is very difficult to be sure which you have seen without capture, or identification by inexperienced people.

I usually look at the throat, it's pinkier and more translucent in palmates and usually has very few or no spots.

I've seen the odd individual that I wasn't all that sure about, particularly in the terrestrial stage.



Posted By: frogworlduk
Date Posted: 03 Aug 2004 at 7:51am
although its probably wrong i often find that smooth and palmates can betold apart by the lines of spots on the backs.smooths have two lines running down it with spots that are forming a near perfect line. whereas palmates have two lines with spots that don't touch and are all over the place.



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