Eggs, part 2

[gregory]

Some more in the embryo series. These are recent as of yesterday--today their gills are a bit more defined and they occasionally move--they constrict and relax. I'll post more photos soon

Day 2a

Note the folding in the lower embryo. Some describe it as looking like a morning glory seed.

"Triplets" developing; you can see the folding from the side--it appears kind of as a "blueberry" shape.

Day 2b (around 12 hours later)

Note how pinched the embryo is becoming; it measures approximately 3mm x 2mm. The head will develop at one end, the tail at the other.

"Triplets", at the same time.

Day 3

Embryos starting to fold; the shorter end is the anterior (head).

Day 4

Gill buds clearly developed.

"Triplets" again--Observe the "curled" embryo--they occasionally move from this position to the straight position. Some rest while curled, others more straight.

Two next to an apparently infertile egg.

The embryos are currently between 4-6mm in length. Note the clearly developed tail.

Their gill buds are developing into the more familiar feathery structures, but that will be the start of the next set

(Message edited by lactose on November 07, 2005)

 

[apryl]

OMG CUTE!!!fantastic pics,such detail!thank you for sharing,for those of us who could end up with offspring of our own it's great to see what to expect.hanging for your next installment....

 

[jordan]

Wow those are some good pictures!

 

[hayley-jane]

brilliant pictures, thanks for sharing

its like a biology lesson - i love it!!

 

[jordan]

You have to have a great camera to take those pictures!

 

[rheann]

Gregory, these pictures are great! You should contact one of the Moderators and have them put all of the documentary pictures in the breeding section of the forum. They are very educational!

If you know any schools that are studying about the Axolotls in your area, you could make a small documentary on them.

Also if you have any eggs that you want to donate after they are adults you could see if there are any children schools in your area that would like one or two Axolotls for there science classes. I know that when my Axies have babies, I am going to check at some schools here and see if they would like some axolotls for their science and biology classes. It would sure open a lot more people up to this site that's for sure

 

[jordan]

My biology class has an axolotl in it. Im sure there would be schools that would want some.

 

[gregory]

Thanks for the compliments! I know that the sophomore biology text in evolutionary biology in use at the university where I work has some photos of adult axolotls in it; unfortunately my office is far away from the current biology building and I rarely run into any undergrad biology students--I have some friends over at the school of education, though--I hadn't thought to bring it up, but that might be a good place to share some axolotls.

By the time I get my next batch of eggs, I hope to have a light microscope/camera adapter to get some better photos--it all depends on budgets

. I would love to get some high resolution photos of the blastula->gastrula->organogenesis/notochord development path. It's a wonderful opportunity for illustrating animal, especially vertebrate, development either at the middle to high school or lower level university level since the embryos are so <u>visible</u>.

 

[rebecca]

great photos in such amazing detail, im looking forward to the next update!!

 

[shane]

wow. great photos. ive never seen triplets before. are you going to separate them to see if they are identicle? that would be interesting. i remember that stage. they are so cute, but so much work!!! mine are great though not fussy eater just really really messy.
good luck with them.

 

[gregory]

Most of the eggs are separated into different tanks already, so the twins and triplets wound up staying together pretty much by necessity. It would be neat to see how similar they are, though doubtful they are "identical" genetically.