They are smaller than great crested newts and males have a smaller crest. They also have a spotted belly, but tend to be lighter in colour, yellow-olive rather than the dark green of the great crested newts. They are very common, and occur on most nature reserves, as well as most garden ponds. Male palmate newts are easy to identify, having a dark eye-stripe, a low, smooth crest and a short but obvious filament at the end of the tail. They also have webbed hind feet.
Female newts are very difficult to identify.
The palmate new is very rare in Lincolnshire, recent records indicate it is present on just one heathland reserve. Palmate newts are small and timid, so the species could be under-recorded.