We went to Asturias the last weekend... the target was find biotopes for Ichthyosaura alpestris cyreni at low-middle altitude (0-500 mt.) between the mountains (2.648 m.) and the coast. No success on the Asturias coast, unlike Cantabria coast (where Ichthyosaura alpestris cyreni can be found at 0 m, close to the sea and the capital city, Santander). The morphology and colour of these newts are similar to the nominate Ichthyosaura alpestris alpestris, rather different than the black, robust and (sometimes) neotenic newts of high mountain and the small, delicate and bright populations of the coast and Burgos (similar to I. a. apuanus)

The biotopes were, almost, drinking troughs and water sources, close to La Nava (480 m of altitude). Comparatively Lissotriton helveticus was much more abundant (6/7 helveticus for each 1 alpestris)