Oki Salamander <i>Hynobius okiensis</i>

[TJ]

 

[TJ]

Hynobius okiensis (Oki Salamander)

These are from Dogo, one of the Oki Islands off Shimane Prefecture in western Honshu.

 

[TJ]

juvie:

 

[TJ]

 

[henk]

Hai Tim, all I've seen from this species so far are eggs and (semi) adults, it's nice to see some images of these juveniles.
How are they doing with you ? The adults are quite hardy but breeding is somewhat difficult. I once got an eegdeposition, but not anymore since 2 years. And even worse I lost one (of the 3) and I am not sure if I still have a male. I was able to obtain a new juvenile withm uch luck , which looked quite different in coloration (much yellow)
http://elib.cs.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?enlarge=1111+1111+1111+2094

Here are the eggs when they were deposited. The white ones are from okiensis , the black ones from leechii quelpartensis.
http://elib.cs.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?enlarge=1111+1111+1111+0631
Unfortunatelly those eggs were in the tank that broke down now 3 years ago (in which I had eggs from retardatus & okiensis... which I all lost).

 

[TJ]

Henk, sorry I missed your question from 2 months ago

Well, those aren't mine. The pics were shot at a pet shop. Good luck with breeding them!

Here is what Goris has to say about their reproduction:

Source: Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of Japan (Goris & Maeda 2004)

 

[henk]

Well I have actually had a fertilised eggcluster now 4 years ago and have made shots of that. see : http://elib.cs.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?enlarge=1111+1111+1111+0631
The eggs were laid in those holes in the stones like the image I posted on H. nebulosus.
Currently I have again 3 specimens and they do well... But now I see they need stretches I will change some part of the setup.

 

[TJ]

This species is now listed by the IUCN as "critically endangered".

Here's what the Global Amphibian Assessment has to say about it:

Scientific Name: Hynobius okiensis
Authority: Sato, 1940
English Common Name: Oki Salamander
Other Common Name: Oki Sanshouo (Japanese)
Red List Category: Critically Endangered (CR)
Red List Category Rationale: Listed as Critically Endangered because its Area of Occupancy is less than 10 km2, all individuals are in a single location, and there is continuing decline in the extent and quality of its habitat on Oki Island.
Date of Assessment: 08 Apr 2004
Population Trend: Decreasing
Range Comments: This species is endemic to Japan, being confined to the Oki Islands in Shimane Prefecture.
Population: Unknown, but several local populations are extinct, and there is continuing decline.
Habitat and Ecology: It occurs from the coastal area to the top of the mountains, inhabiting evergreen forest and conifer plantations. It breeds in streams by larval development, like most other members of the genus.
Major Threats: Habitat destruction is ongoing, including road construction, deforestation, alteration of river courses, and pollution.
Conservation Measures: No conservation measures are known.
CITES Status (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species): Not listed

 

[chris]

its odd they are in a pet shop then...
Chris

 

[TJ]

They are not a protected species in Japan, as far as I know.

 

[TJ]

Here's a low-resolution picture of some larvae that I took with my mobile telephone's camera: