Editing Smooth newt (section)

===Breeding characteristics===

During the aquatic breeding season, males develop a skin seam or crest, which runs uninterrupted along the back and the tail. It is {{cvt|1|–|1.5|mm}} high at mid-body, but higher along the tail. The tail also has a lower fin, and its end is pointed. The [[cloaca]] (the single digestive, urinary and reproductive orifice) of breeding males is swollen, round and dark-coloured. The hindfeet have more or less developed toe flaps, depending on the subspecies. Colours in general are more vivid than during the land phase. The dark spots grow larger, and the crest often has vertical dark and bright bands. There are five to seven longitudinal stripes on the head. The lower edge of the tail is red with a silver-blue flash and black spots. Females only develop low, straight tail fins but no crest or toe flaps, and are more drably coloured.{{r|1=Beebee2000|p1=26|2=Sparreboom2014|p2=233–234}}

Subspecies differ slightly in male [[Secondary sex characteristic|secondary characteristics]]: ''L.&nbsp;v. ampelensis'' has strongly developed toe flaps, its tail tapers into a fine thread (but not a distinct filament), and the body is slightly square in cross-section. ''L.&nbsp;v. meridionalis'' also has toe flaps and a pointed tail, its crest is smooth-edged, and its body is square-shaped. In the nominate subspecies, ''L.&nbsp;v. vulgaris'', the crest is clearly [[Wiktionary:denticulated|denticulated]], toe flaps are only weakly developed and the body is round.{{r|Sparreboom2014|p=234–236}}