Fenologia riproduttiva e direzionalità di migrazione in Triturus carnifex (Laurenti, 1768) nell'Italia Nord-occidentale (Urodela: Salamandridae)

The results of a study on reproductive phenology and migration directionality in Triturus carnifex are presented. Monitoring was based on a capture/recapture research, carried out in 2011 using drift fences/pitfall traps; newts were all identified individually by means of belly patterns. Overall duration was three months, surveys started on February 28th and ended on May 1st; first individuals were captured on 28th February. More than 50 percent of captures occurred between 12th and 18th March, characterized by minimum temperatures rising above zero and maximum daily precipitations. During both pre- and post-breeding migration movements intensify during rainy nights. A total of 112 specimens (55 females, 52 males and five juveniles) were identified. Females were significantly heavier than males (One-way ANOVA), while there was no statistically significant difference in size (SVL) between sexes. In both sexes entry and exit directions were not randomly distributed (Rao's spacing test): during both migrations, newts followed similar directions toward the “North” sector of the study area. The pattern of distribution of captures showed they were not related to terrestrial environmental factors, but to the aquatic ones. Finally, management implications were discussed in light of our findings.