This species is a redescription of the previously elevated subspecies of Triturus karelinii which was known as T. arntzeni (Wielstra et al. 2013). T. anatolicus was previously confused with species (Wielstra and Arntzen 2016).

European regional assessment: Least Concern (LC)
EU 27 regional assessment: Least Concern (LC)

This species is assessed as Least Concern for both Europe and the EU 27 member states in view of its wide distribution, tolerance of a degree of habitat modification, presumed large population, and because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a threatened category.

In Europe, this species encompasses the south-eastern Balkan Peninsula, covering most of Bulgaria, the eastern parts of Greece (eastern Macedonia and Thrace regions; Pafilis and Maragou 2020), North Macedonia, as well as European Türkiye. An isolated distribution pocket is found in Serbia that is disconnected from the main range by other intervening Triturus species (T. cristatus in the north and T. macedonicus in the south; Arntzen and Wallis 1999, Litvinchuk et al. 1999, Wielstra and Arntzen 2012, Wielstra et al. 2013, Wielstra et al. 2014).

Its global distribution extends to Asiatic Türkiye, along the coast of the Aegean Sea and the western part of the Marmara Sea (Wielstra and Arntzen 2016).

The species is sporadically distributed over much of its range (although common in suitable habitats). Its population trend is considered to be stable in most of the distribution area (N. Uzum pers. comm. May 2019).

This species' habitat and ecological requirements resemble those of Triturus karelinii. It can be found in mountain forests (broad-leaved and coniferous species) and their surroundings; the forest steppe and even true steppe sites within the mountains. The species can withstand some degree of habitat modification. In breeding season, it prefers relatively deep slow-moving stream pools, ponds and occasionally drainage ditches. The female deposits approximately 100-250 eggs into water.

Although it is widespread and found in many habitat types, deforestation and destruction of wetlands caused by urbanisation, industrial and agrochemical pollution appear to be the main threats to this species’ range. In the Balkans, there has been loss of breeding habitats in recent years due to decreased spring rains, perhaps as a result of global climate change, but anthropogenic impact in terms of intentional drying out these aquatic habitats cannot be neglected (Crnobrnja-Isailović et al. 2005, Crnobrnja-Isailović et al. 2022). Similarly, in Türkiye the loss of aquatic habitats is a serious threat to many amphibian species, including also T. ivanbureschi (Olgun and Üzüm 2015). Other major threats in for this species are habitat alterations via construction activities and new roads (K. Olgun pers. comm. 2018).

In Greece, the main threats are the loss of aquatic habitats due to agrochemical pollution, drainage and fish introductions and habitat fragmentation due to land use changes and urbanization. Especially in northern Greece, there is heavy contamination and pollution of surface water due to agriculture (Gikas et al. 2013). As a forest-dwelling amphibian species that is sensitive to changes in their surrounding ecosystem, forest fires and climate change could lead to loss of suitable habitats for the species (Kafash et al. 2018). Possible threat is the emergence of chytrid pathogens, although there are no current records of infections in this species within Greece (Azmanis et al. 2016).

There are no records of this species being utilised.

Conservation Actions In-Place
While this species is still not listed as a separate species on Appendix II of the Bern Convention nor on Annexes II and IV of the EU Natural Habitats Directive, it is included under the previous name - T. karelinii. It is protected by national legislations and is listed as EN in the national Red List of North Macedonia under the name of T. karelinii (Sterijovski and Arsovski 2020), as VU in the national Red Data Books of Serbia (Kalezić et al. 2015) and as Near Threatened in Greece (Sotiropoulos 2010). It is present in some protected areas in Türkiye.