A similar but slightly larger species than the palmate, breeding males are brightly coloured and display a large wavy crest along the back and tail. Females and males outside the breeding season can be difficult to distinguish from palmate newts except that only smooth newts have spotted throats. There are no markings at all on the throat of a palmate newt. The distribution of the two species is broadly the same in the Lothians and they are often found living peacefully together in the same ponds and sometimes in the presence of the much larger Great Crested Newt, which preys on them and their larvae!