C. e. ensicauda, a bit dark but still ...

[henk]

HEre are some of the new animals I was able to swap with Sebastian. they are just great and I love making shots of them ...
Cynops ensicauda ensicauda

 

[TJ]

Beautiful pictures, Henk, as usual

Wonderful species, and wonderful subspecies too.

 

[jennifer]

Here is one of my nominate C. ensicauda. I like to show this picture and try to fool people into thinking it's a Taricha

 

[TJ]

You almost had me fooled there, Jen

I really love these newts. Since they're not C. ensicauda popei to begin with, there's no heavy expectations in terms of looks (no need to have a passing amount of gold flecks to be deemed worthy, shown off) and they can more easily be appreciated for what they are -- simply great newts. In fact, they're almost like Taricha in that way

Here are some of mine. The one in the back is laying eggs -- upside down!

(Message edited by TJ on November 04, 2006)

 

[joseph]

Any photos of males with breeder colors? That one Jenn has really does look like a Taricha!

 

[TJ]

Sure, as it just so happens my males are sporting some pretty impressive sheens right now. I'll post some photos later

I wonder what it is that accounts for the absence of sheens in male popei...

 

[TJ]

It just so happens my males are sporting some nice sheens right now. Here's one:

I wonder what it is that accounts for the absence of sheens in male popei...

Another interesting difference I might point out is that with nominate C. ensicauda, the belly coloration is sometimes almost yellow, like the one on the left in the following photo, instead of orange. I've not observed this with C. ensicauda popei.

(no flash used)

 

[jennifer]

Tim always has the appropriate Cynops photo for every occasion

My nominates are also more yellow than the popei.

 

[joseph]

Great photo! Yeah its odd that male popei do not have the sheen. Guess one subspp. can't have everything.

Seems a lot of nominate ensicauda have solid colored bellies...I don't think many popei are like that. If anything, many of mine show more black than orange.

That one in the center must be one of the few animals I've seen with a double chin.

(Message edited by fishkeeper on November 07, 2006)

(Message edited by fishkeeper on November 07, 2006)

 

[TJ]

Nice observation about the bellies, Joseph.

As for the existance/nonexistance of a bluish tail sheen within these two subspecies, I've read this is similarly the case with Neurergus in that N. strauchii males develop such a sheen while N. crocatus males don't. Can anybody confirm this and come up with any more intraspecific examples?

Jen, I didn't pull that photo from an archive but took it specifically for this occasion

...which was easy as these newts are always begging for food at the front of the glass.

Here's one I've had since November 2002. Not a pretty sight as her skin is covered with discolorations or lesions or whatever they are, but she's had them for at least 4 years now and at least acts healthy. The discolorations do seem to have spread over time, which worries me.

(Message edited by TJ on November 08, 2006)

 

[henk]

Nice shots Tim ! My males have this nice coloration as well, if I get time I'll make some shots this weekend and I'll keep my thumbs crossed for breeding.

 

[TJ]

I'm looking forward to seeing those. Here's another one of mine with a nice sheen: