Marms- Going Aquatic!

[jeff]

For the last two weeks or so I've been quite demanding of my marmoratus- I've wanted them to go aquatic, and they've been content to stay on land. Well, I'm happy to announce that I've finally got 6 of the 7 to go fully aquatic (one is still absolutely refusing to do so and sits atop the floating plants). Here are the photos. Enjoy!

One Week Ago (4 Days in)

<u>So Far I'm Convinced This is My Only Male.</u>

Here are the pictures from last night. Notice the morphological changes in just one week!

 

[joan]

I love watching them change into their 'aquatic form'. Their tails get much more paddle-like, it's very cool. I have a Triturus that's also vehemently opposed to water. It will go aquatic when forced, but is a land-lubber if given the choice. Oh well.

 

[pin-pin]

Congrats Jeff!

More females to male is always a good thing in the urodele world.

 

[jeff]

Thanks Pin-Pin, but one male to six females?!? My poor little guy would have his work cut out for him for sure. Hopefully the hydrophobic newt, who also happens to be the smallest and least developed, will turn out to be male. I've just got to convince the little one that water is a good thing first.

 

[william]

Pin-Pin, didn't you say that all but one of yours were female? it may just be a coinsidence, but it looks like all of mine will be female too. perhaps in certain situations there is a natural predisposition for females, e.g in turtles, if the temperature is on the cool side, then the majority of the clutch will be male etc...just a theory...

BTW great photos Jeff!

 

[jennifer]

I have another explanation for gender disparity in marmoratus. When someone breeds a batch, they tend to want to keep the most colorful ones. But guess what... the males are generally more colorful, even just after metamorphosis.

 

[jeff]

I've raised these ones from eggs (and I believe Pin-Pins raised hers from eggs too), and had 10 reach metamorphosis. I lost three up to this point, and have seven left. Of those 7 I'm 99% certain 6 are females (I'm still holding out hope that the hydrophobe is a male, but I think it not). Sorry to say, but your theory doesn't fit with my case Jen.

 

[jeff]

Just to update, I've got good news and bad news. The good news is that the hydrophobe has gone aquatic and has been for several weeks now. The bad news is that she is not growing a crest, nor has she developed a swollen cloaca.

It is my conclusion that I have 6 Females and only 1 Male.

 

[alex]

Hello Jeff

I bred marmoratus several times in the early seventies of the previous century. The male was a strong yellowish-green. The female was dark green. The dorsal striping a very dark shade of red. The raised young were all bright green with a nice red dorsal marking. Unfortunately none of them took after the male in colour. None of the females I kept, on reaching time of sexual maturity, showed such strong red markings at the underside of the tail as yours do.
Very nice animals.
One male for 6 females shouldn't pose a real problem. Although I've read that of the females of Lessotriton vulgaris is known that they don't lay eggs to full potential if there is only one male available. I do not know if its the same with marmoratus though.