Alpestris larvae.

[chris]

Is it normal for triturus alpestris larvae to be white?
Chris

 

[fra]

i think so.
and it doesn't necessarily means that they are going to grow up as albinos. melanin's amount and arrangment often change during development.
are they newly hatched?

 

[chris]

The larvae are very well developed with all four leggs. There are 4 white ones, and the rest of that size are much more cryptically coloured.
You guessed what I was hoping! I will tell evryone if they do turn out to be albinos or hypermelanistic.
Chris

 

[a]

sorry that this is a bit late, but i believe that hypermelanism is more than normal melanism, yet hypomealnism (somethimes refferd to as just hypo) is less than normal ammount of melanism.
How have these turned out?

I found a really dark baby common toad, i decided to keep it, to see wether it is its true colour, and after 3 weeks, nothing has changed.
Does melanism (all black) occur in amphibians often (i know it is quite common with snakes)

thanks
AJfr0ggy

 

[chris]

They turned out normal exept a few that were yellow-sandy colour.
Chris