Oversized C.e larvae

[TJ]

I have one C.e larvae here that's now over 6 cm without morphing yet:

I had another than exceeded this, but morphed already. What's the biggest anybody who has raised these has seen?

 

[TJ]

Here's a better pic of the same taken with my new camera. It's now approaching 7cm and I'm beginning to wonder if its neotenic/neotenous/paedomorphic/perrenibranchiate

 

[mark]

Your probably right with thinking its paedomorphic.

Mark

 

[aaron]

Not sure about the paedomorphic aspect, but definately appears to be a female.

~Aaron

 

[TJ]

Well, female adult C.e's tend to have longer tails than males, but I dunno if this is also a way to tell the sex of larvae. I'd guess the same though in this case. We're shooting for 10cm here!

 

[paul]

Some C.e. lavae grow up to 6 or 7 cm before morphing. The reason could be an effect of low temperatures (20 °C), great tanks with only few larvae and clean water, good food or genetic effects for example.

Paul

 

[TJ]

It's now over 7 cm, no signs of morphing any time soon, if at all

 

[elisabeth]

Hmmm, sounds like he has Peter Pan syndrom. I'd take him to a psychiatrist.
Are you sure he's supposed to morph?

 

[TJ]

I sure hope it doesn't

It's passing 8cm now! I've heard that this is...well, unheard of in the case of C.ensicauda.

 

[john]

Hi Tim,

If you don't mind me asking, what are the conditions in which you are keeping it? I like the idea of keeping my larvae aquatic as long as possible in order to ease (and speed) raising them.

 

[TJ]

No prob, John. Sorry to disappoint you

but I've done nothing out of the ordinary with this one. I just keep it in this small tank by itself and change it's water once every two days. It feeds on frozen bloodworm and occasionally live tubifex.

 

[john]

Thanks for that Tim, but at what temperature do you keep it? Is this animal popei?

 

[TJ]

It varies, of course, but it never gets very cold in here. The water temp now is 21C, and that's pretty usual. But I really don't think it's due to environmental factors -- otherwise there would be others like it, wouldn't there? I spoke with two Japanese experts and both said they'd never heard of a paedomorphic. ensicauda. I'm pretty sure it's popei. It has a great appetite and is very spunky

 

[john]

Actually Tim, the gills look to be reduced in size when comparing the latest photo with the previous ones. Perhaps it's getting around to metamorphosis?

 

[TJ]

Possibly, but I think it still has a way to go. I sure hope so anyway.

To give you and idea of the size of this critter, here it is with a larvae of the size normally reached shortly before morphing.

 

[TJ]

Nope, no sign yet that it's getting around to metamorphosis!

 

[paul]

Hi Tim,

very interesting pic!
I never saw a C.ensicauda larvae with this length before.

Paul