Page "Smooth Newt" Paragraph 4

Females and non-breeding males are pale brown or olive green, often with two darker stripes on the back.

Both sexes have an orange belly, although it is paler in females, which is covered in rounded black spots.

They also have a pale throat with conspicuous spots.

This helps to distinguish them from palmate newts that have pale unspotted throats, and with which they are often confused.

When on land they have velvety skin.

During the breeding season, male smooth newts develop a continuous wavy ( rather than jagged ) crest that runs from their head to their tail, and their spotted markings become more apparent.

They are also distinguishable from females by their fringed toes.