Chinensis confuzhongensis

[paris]

i have many of what appear to be chinensis-but they may be fuzhongensis. so i need to know how to differentiate between the two. some have tails that have high red markings-and although i can see some differences-i can also see many similarities -so i get nowhere

is there a sort of key to figuring this out-or do i have to whip out the gel electrophoresis equipment and do southern blots? i bought about 8 together -and had about 7 more already. the 8 at the store had caudopunctatus mixed in with them-so they also could be a mixed bag. pleasse help- i really dont want them interbreeding.

 

[TJ]

Hi Paris, chinensis seem to frequently have yellow spots on the underside at the joints where the legs meet with the body, and their tails often have an unbroken red/orange line. Don't know if this is a rule though. See this link for some more details:

http://www.caudata.org/forum/messages/13/1850.html?1039502247

 

[paris]

the yellow spot identification doesnt pan out all the time-they appear to loose it-i have adults that dont have the spot-and the only way i know they are chinensis is i have seen their offspring. all mine seem to have a solid red stripe on the underside of the tail-but some of that red creeps up the sides in a few 'reverse drip marks' and others it colours a good portion of the tail. some have belly colour that is yellow orange-but then right at the tail base it changes hue to a red orange-others have a universal colour on the underside-and two even have almost a fusha colour!-both of those females. is there any way to tell from belly patterns?-that would be easy for me to get scans of.

 

[TJ]

I don't know if this will add to or help clear up the confuzhongensis

but here's a pic of a newt identified as P.chinensis in "Herpetology of China" by Er-mi Zhao (Zhao Ermi) and Kraig Adler:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0916984281/qid=1070273355/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/002-9988090-2869660?v=glance&s=books