Flavisstic lartvae of triturus helveticus or triturus vulgaris

[dominique]

While doing research on the distribution of Triturus cristatus and Salamandra salamandra salamandra, I caught a flavistic larva of Triturus helveticus/vulgaris (given the habitat and the place, helveticus seems to be the more likely candidate).

This individual was caught in East-Flanders, Belgium.

Is flavism in these two species already well-documented in the wild? Can anyone provide me with useful articles on this topic or pictures of other cases of weird pigmentation in these two species?

All information can be sent to Dominique Verbelen, Torrekensstraat 41, 9820 Munte, Belgium, tel./fax.: 00 32 9 3246 086, e-mail: d.verbelen@pandora.be

An article on this particular case will be published soon.

 

[henk]

Dominique I am< aware of an article on an albino specimen of one of both the species where this (adult) animal was getting attacked by the 'normal' colored animals. Unfortunately I don't have a recollection where it was published anymore .. I think it may have been in an old issue of Terra.

 

[mike]

I have seen albino T.vulgaris larvae in one particular pond in southern England over the years, but I don't think that any survived.
Patrick Wisniewski in his book Newts of the British Isles, shows a picture of a flavistic smooth newt. The caption says: "A neotenous newt, the light colouration suggests damage to the pituitary gland."
Trevor Beebee and Richard Griffiths from Amphibians and Reptiles state: "In the British Isles urodeles neotony is exceptional, but occasionally occurs in smooth newts. Curiously, neotenous newts are often albino. As both metamorphosis and pigmentation are under the control of the pituitary gland at the base of the brain, neotony in newts is probably due to some malfunction in this gland or the hormone that it controls"

(Message edited by mike on August 07, 2004)