The progression of the black-spotted newt from its common ancestor is hypothesized to have started around the late Miocene epoch.
ðə pɹəɡɹˈɛʃən ʌvðə blˈækspˈɑːɾᵻd nˈuːt fɹʌm ɪts kˈɑːmən ˈænsɛstɚɹ ɪz haɪpˈɑːθəsˌaɪzd tə hæv stˈɑːɹɾᵻd ɚɹˈaʊnd ðə lˈeɪt mɪˈoʊsiːn ˈɛpɑːk.