Editing Northern crested newt (section)

{{Short description|Species of amphibian}}
{{Hatnote|"Warty newt" redirects here. See also [[Paramesotriton|Asian warty newts]] and [[Laos warty newt]].}}
{{Good article}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = Northern crested newt
| image = Kammmolchmaennchen.jpg
| image_caption = Male during breeding season
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref = {{r|IUCN}}
| genus = Triturus
| species = cristatus
| authority = ([[Joseph Nicolai Laurenti|Laurenti]], 1768)
| range_map = Triturus cristatus dis.png
| synonyms =
Over 40,{{r|Frost-Tcristatus}} including:
*''Lacertus aquatilis'' {{small|Garsault, 1764}} ([[nomen oblitum]])
*''Triton cristatus'' {{small|Laurenti, 1768}} ([[basionym]])
*''Triton blasii'' {{small|de l'Isle, 1862}} (hybrid)
*''Triton trouessarti'' {{small|Peracca, 1886}} (hybrid)
}}

The '''northern crested newt''', '''great crested newt''' or '''warty newt''' ('''''Triturus cristatus''''') is a [[newt]] species native to [[Great Britain]], northern and central [[continental Europe]] and parts of [[Western Siberia]]. It is a large newt, with females growing up to {{cvt|16|cm|in}} long. Its back and sides are dark brown, while the belly is yellow to orange with dark blotches. Males develop a conspicuous jagged crest on their back and tail during the breeding season.

The northern crested newt spends most of the year on land, mainly in forested areas in lowlands. It moves to aquatic breeding sites, mainly larger fish-free [[pond]]s, in spring. Males court females with a ritualised [[courtship display|display]] and deposit a [[spermatophore]] on the ground, which the female then picks up with her [[cloaca]]. After fertilisation, a female lays around 200 eggs, folding them into water plants. The [[larvae]] develop over two to four months before [[metamorphosis|metamorphosing]] into terrestrial juveniles ([[eft]]s). Both larvae and land-dwelling newts mainly feed on different [[invertebrates]].

Several of the northern crested newt's former subspecies are now recognised as separate species in the genus ''[[Triturus]]''. Its closest relative is the [[Danube crested newt]] (''T. dobrogicus''). It sometimes forms [[hybrid (biology)|hybrids]] with some of its relatives, including the [[marbled newt]] (''T. marmoratus''). Although today the most widespread ''Triturus'' species, the northern crested newt was probably confined to small [[refugium (population biology)|refugial]] areas in the [[Carpathians]] during the [[Last Glacial Maximum]].

While the [[International Union for Conservation of Nature]] lists it as [[Least Concern]] species, populations of the northern crested newt have been declining. The main threat is [[habitat destruction]], for example, through [[urban sprawl]]. The species is listed as a European Protected Species.