A new case of facultative paedomorphosis in Smooth Newts, Lissotriton vulgaris (Caudata: Salamandridae), in Turkey

A report of the occurrence of a dimorphic population of Smooth Newts in Lake Sazlı (Izmir, Western Anatolia, Turkey). During fieldwork on March 2015, 29 aquatic individuals (seven males, 22 females) were captured and of these individuals, five were paedomorphic (four males, one female). The metamorphic (83%) and paedomorphic (17%) ratio of the population is skewed to metamorphic. The mean snout-vent length (SVL) was 28.30 mm (range = 26.00-30.41), and total length (TL) was 57.66 mm (53.35-61.40) in paedomorphs. The average exterior gill length was 4.12 mm (2.64-4.71). The SVL was 39.99 mm (range = 33.44-39.93), and TL was 69.06 mm (66.19-79.17) in metamorphs. The possible reasons for the presence of facultative paedomorphosis in the population are discussed, with the dimorphic paedomorph hypothesis supported. © 2016 Kızıl et al.