Lissotriton vulgaris

• Main Author: Elmberg, Johan
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Published: Zenodo 2023
• Subjects: Biodiversity; Taxonomy; Animalia; Chordata; Amphibia; Caudata; Salamandridae; Lissotriton; Lissotriton vulgaris; North Sweden
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8030408; http://treatment.plazi.org/id/03BE87CBFF884A65B8887B74403FF9D0

Smooth Newt Lissotriton vulgaris (Linneaus 1758) Distribution (Figure 2). Included records from Artportalen : all reports (N=670), as there is no confusion species except the much rarer Triturus cristatus . Widely distributed in the Southern Boreal; in a regular sampling grid covering the entire provinces of Gästrikland and Hälsingland, Sterner (2005) found the species in 42% of 111 squares in which randomly selected wetlands (<1 hectare, presumed free from predatory fish) were investigated. In both these provinces there is a pattern of more widespread occurrence in coastal areas than farther inland. In a similar randomized survey of Medelpad and southern Ångermanland, Olofsson et al. (2008) recorded the species in 23% of 155 randomly selected small wetlands. In the southern Middle Boreal this species is seemingly more patchily distributed, especially in the northern parts of the range. There are only two known extant occurrences in the Northern Boreal: Akkan and Abborrberg (4 kms apart in Stensele parish) in Lycksele lappmark (Persbo et al. 2006, Anders Forsgren pers. comm.). Interestingly, three of the northernmost occurrences are also the highest known from North Sweden (and in Sweden overall): Akkan and Aborrberg are both 520 m above sea level, and Jägarliden at 340 m (all in Lycksele lappmark; Persbo et al. 2006). Offshore occurrence is known from two islands in Medelpad (Brämön and Alnön; Elmberg & Ericsson 1983) and one in Hälsingland (Jättholmarna), indicating a fair dispersal capacity over brackish water. In coastal areas where the species occurs, many mainland records are very close to the sea (Elmberg 1995; Sterner 2005; Persbo et al. 2006; Olofsson et al. 2008). This pattern indicates a good general dispersal capacity, since such wetlands created by land uplift, are often less than 200 years old. There are not any data to gauge large-scale changes in distribution during the last 50 years, but local extinctions due to fish introduction have been documented (Dolmen 1978; Elmberg & Ericsson ...