Taxonomic relationships and genetic variability within the genus of Palaearctic newts, Triturus, were studied using starch-gel protein electrophoresis. Large differences in the amount of genetic variation were found, ranging from $H_{{\rm e}}=0.00$ for T. marmoratus to $H_{{\rm e}}=0.18$ for T. alpestris. Genetic distances among species range from $D_{{\rm Nei}}=0.41$ for T. vulgaris-T. montandoni to $D_{{\rm Nei}}=2.0$ for T. alpestris-T. marmoratus, indicating a pre-Pleistocene origin for all Triturus species. Phenetic as well as phylogenetic methods of tree construction point to T. cristatus-T. marmoratus and T. helveticus-T. vulgaris-T. montandoni as two groups of close relatives. The phenetic UPGMA clustering routine yields a tree very similar to the one proposed by Bolkay on osteological grounds. The minimum spanning Wagner tree connects T. alpestris with T. vittatus and T. italicus with T. boscai. This phylogeny is corroborated by karyological and behavioral data.