P
paris
Guest
i am giving a power point presentation on reproductive and recruitment problems with the hellbender populations in the ozarks. my first duty will be to educate my audience (well class mates) as to what these animals are and how they function in the environment. there are some ok to good photos on the web, but id like ones of decent size and pixilation that i can project onto a screen. i would also like photos of eggs, nests and of the skin folds. (some of the giant sals pics are ok too-as long as i know they arent hellbenders and can tell my audience what they are) i am also in the need for a few answers -mostly evolutionary. i have till the 30th to give the presentation. photos would be appreciated and data or references to my questions. also photos of big guys with people or objects in there for scale and some larval pictures. photos to my school email addy preilley(at)uccs.edu
questions:
at what time did andrias and cryptobranchus diverge ?-how closely related are they ?
what is the largest salamander on record(current history) of either the giants or the hellbender?
have there been any reliable captive breeding programs established for any of these guys?
is it true they can eat ducks?(normal part of the diet?)
how far can they travel out of water? are they known to go across land to get to other areas or pretty much stay out in established territory?
do males constantly stake out new territory (in response to food availability)or stay in the same place till displaced? what do the females do?
why is it that (as i understand it-correct me if im wrong) these are very primitive salamanders-yet didnt the first sals have lungs to get onto land? are these the prototype or a step backward (they have nostrils-which would indicate lungs?-or just bucchal breathing??) is there any benefit to external fertilization over internal? (this is all basing off of the retro evolution question)
can a male have a nest he guards and has fertilized with many females eggs-or is he satisfied after getting just 1 to lay for him?
im going to have a few more questions-but this should get the ball rolling.
questions:
at what time did andrias and cryptobranchus diverge ?-how closely related are they ?
what is the largest salamander on record(current history) of either the giants or the hellbender?
have there been any reliable captive breeding programs established for any of these guys?
is it true they can eat ducks?(normal part of the diet?)
how far can they travel out of water? are they known to go across land to get to other areas or pretty much stay out in established territory?
do males constantly stake out new territory (in response to food availability)or stay in the same place till displaced? what do the females do?
why is it that (as i understand it-correct me if im wrong) these are very primitive salamanders-yet didnt the first sals have lungs to get onto land? are these the prototype or a step backward (they have nostrils-which would indicate lungs?-or just bucchal breathing??) is there any benefit to external fertilization over internal? (this is all basing off of the retro evolution question)
can a male have a nest he guards and has fertilized with many females eggs-or is he satisfied after getting just 1 to lay for him?
im going to have a few more questions-but this should get the ball rolling.