<i>Hynobius tsuensis</i> egg sacs & larvae

[TJ]

This is my first experience with this species.

The sacs are really tiny compared to some other Hynobius species like H. tokyoensis or H. nebulosus -- less than 4 cm from side-to-side (curled):

...though the hatchlings seem larger at 1.6 cm:

These sacs, which I acquired, are from the north island type of the species.

For further discussion here about H. tsuensis, see:

http://www.caudata.org/forum/messages/13/22522.html?1095583187


(Message edited by TJ on March 31, 2005)

 

[paris]

very cool-how many viable ones you got in there?(and how many total?) is it my imagination or is its head smaller than most in comparison to the yolk filled belly?-is that one a normal representation?

 

[TJ]

Hi Paris. I can't say just yet as I haven't had much chance to examine them yet.

Anyway, one sac has very few embryos/larvae, but they're all in a fairly advanced stage of development and I think they'll be fine. The other sac is packed with embryos but it's hard to tell their condition as the sac is not as transparent as with say H. nebulosus or H. tokyoensis.

In the meantime, here are a couple of premature hatchlings to add to the excitement:

(Message edited by TJ on March 29, 2005)

 

[TJ]

Here is the latest, with one sac doing well and the other in a very poor state:

Before I acquired them, the sacs were maintained in warm, unclear, unoxygenated water, so it's not at all surprising

 

[TJ]

 

[pamela]

Absolutely wonderful.

 

[TJ]

They sure are

Shame about the second egg sac though. Maybe one or two larvae in there will develop and pull through...

Here's a photo taken today of the larvae that hatched 2 days ago:

(that's centimeters, not inches

)

(Message edited by TJ on March 31, 2005)

 

[henk]

Well Tim, this is truly the stuff my dreams are made off... hope one day my animals breed. This is a very beautifull species and I've heard that there is a very beautifull orange form there too...

 

[TJ]

Same individual:

 

[TJ]

Notice how the margins of the tail have become less "peppered":

I wish I'd measured it April 8 pics above. It's grown significantly in the 11 days since then, now reaching 3 cm.

 

[TJ]

Over 4 cm now:

(Message edited by TJ on May 17, 2005)

 

[TJ]

slightly over 5 cm now:

(Message edited by TJ on June 11, 2005)

 

[TJ]

It began morphing a couple of days ago, poking its head out of the water for long periods of time.

Today, it left the water completely for the first time: