<i>Hynobius amjiensis</i> (Anji Salamander)

[TJ]

This Chinese sal I'd never seen or heard of before appeared on the market here in Japan recently:

 

[ralf]

Hi Tim,
these animals strikingly resemble my Pachyhynobius shangchengensis.

Ralf

 

[TJ]

And that they well may be for all I know!

What it says on the shipping invoice doesn't always correspond to reality.

Hmmm...well, I was told by the shopkeeper that the shape of the head and tail are what to look at here, as well as the number of toes. These have four toes on the front legs and five on the rear ones. How about your shangchengensis?

Here's another head shot, Ralf, if it's any help:

 

[TJ]

Actually, this top shot is better if you're going to compare head shapes:

 

[travis]

I am no Hynobius expert, but these appear to be P.shangchengensis no doubt.
Thanks for the great pics Tj.
-Travis

 

[TJ]

Thanks Travis, I must say I did have some doubts too, but that was after reading the Anji Salamander species account at AmphibiaWeb

http://elib.cs.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/amphib_query?where-genus=Hynobius&where-species=amjiensis

which says it's only known to inhabit Longwangshan Nature Reserve in Zhejiang Province. It might help if I could count the number of costal grooves as the account says the Anji Salamander has 13 -- but the pics are not clear enough. Oh well, life goes on

(Message edited by TJ on July 02, 2003)

 

[TJ]

By the way, what are those black things at the tips of the toes? Are they claws as seen with the Japanese Clawed Salamander ? Or just black coloring? I saw about 12 but I'm not sure all had them. Do your P.shangchengensis have them, Ralf?

 

[TJ]

I saw the website of another Japanese shop that's selling them, which basically says they were shipped in as Anjing but could be whatever. It also remarks they look like P.shangchengensis, and points out the five-angled head shape.

Here's the link to the head shot:
http://www.interone.jp/~endless/Photo/Other/Yunnan2.jpg

 

[travis]

Thanks for that link Tj. I am always amazed at what I see for sale on the Japanese sites. I wish I could read what is written on the pages though.
I thought I might have also seen some Ranodon for sale there too.
How much are the P. shangchengesis costing in US dollars?
Thanks,
Travis

 

[nate]

Tim, the black toes are just cornified skin which help give them traction in a moving current, similar to Onychodactylus but not as pronounced. Many stream-dwelling salamanders have them.

Those look more like Pachyhynobius to me as well.

 

[ralf]

Heya Tim,
my animals also posess "dark fingertips" which might be cornifications. As far as I can perceive mine have four digits on the front respectively five on the hind limbs. The animals display a distinct sexual dimorphism in that the head of the male is rounded and "bulky". I enclosed two portraits (male and female). Give me some time for decent pics since I will first have to catch a couple, which isn't that easy without tearing the setup apart.

Ralf

 

[henk]

Just checked out this mail and must tell they are in my consideration Pachyhynobius. mine also have those cornified toes and dimorphisms in the head part. They are very large and I keep 7 of them in a long tank.
Either we all have H. amjiensis or it are Pachyhynobius... anyway they are very nice and impressive animals to keep

 

[TJ]

Love those pics Ralf! The expression on the face of the first one you posted is truly endearing!

Henk, I see a consensus has emerged here that these are indeed Pachyhynodius (though a coastal groove count might help to clinch things). Do yours show much aggression toward one another?

I thought of getting one or two to keep in a roomy tank that accommodates my treasured pair of P. brevipes, but they're doing well by themselves and I'm reluctant to take any risks with them, including that of introducing disease.

Travis, yes, proximity to China makes Japan a good place to find Chinese sals on the pet market -- though for whatever reason P.labiatus are sometimes imported from China or Hong Kong via the U.S.! There was a place here that once had Ranodon on sale, but that was 2 years or so ago and the pic remains on the site. I'd guess P. shangchengesis would cost around 50-70 US$ here. (I'm not a potential source though

)

Nate, thanks for the info on the toes, I hadn't realized until today that you'd already provided info on the same topic in another recent thread. I think I read somewhere that with Onychodactylus the "claws" are more pronounced in males during the breeding season.

 

[henk]

Hai Tim,
I keep of them in a tank of 1,5 meters by 60 cm by 30 high. this one is entirely filled with overhanging stones in the back. They hide under those (sometimes multiple animals under the same stone). So far I have not yet seen agression , but... I only have 2 males.

They are fed once a week with worms and bloodworms. They are good eaters.

I would however not think about setting them together with your P. brevipes Tim...

In the fall my pachyhynobius are looking very thick , but so far no eggs found yet...

 

[kc]

I am wondering what they are too!
I have see some Pachyhynobius shangchengensis (what I was told) several months ago, and they are more orange and slender when compare to the anji (pictured belowed) we have now.