Evolutionary relationships among Europan newts (genus Triturus) as inferred from two mtDNA fragments

European newts (genus Triturus) are widely studied, but their phylogeny is not yet unambiguously resolved. Fragments of mitochondrial DNA experiencing different rates of evolution (the ATPase and 12S rDNA genes) were sequence d in order to test a phylogenetic hypothesis derived from biochemical and b ehavioural data. Well supported branches of the existing phylogeny also gai ned support in our study. Within the subgenus Palaeotriton (the group of sm all-bodied newts) the monophyletic origin of the hypothesized T. boscai - T . italicus clade remained ambiguous, whereas strong support was gained for the sister-taxon relationship of T. vulgaris and T. montandoni. The positio n of T. vittatus within the subgenus Triturus as a sister taxon to the clad e of big-bodied newts (T. marmoratus and T. cristatus superspecies) was als o supported. However, the phylogenetic position of the medium-sized newt, T . alpestris could not be clarified.