Part 6: <i>Tylototriton verrucosus</i> embryo series

J

john

Guest
This is the same embryo again. Making an informed guess, I would say that this embryo will hatch within the next 48 hours.

25732.jpg
 
Note the increased number of pigment cells compared to yesterday's photos.

In salamanders, pigment cells first develop on the neural crest. The neural crest is the ridge along the top of the animal, which develops during neurulation (look back at the previous photos to see its initial development). The brain develops at one end of the neural crest and the spinal cord forms from/within the neural crest.

The animal's first pigment cells develop at the neural crest and migrate off of it during development, travelling down the flanks of the animal. You can see this effect if you compare this photo to yesterday's photos. Pigment cells multiply as the animal grows, the initial pigment cells forming patches that slowly "grow" towards and into each other, giving the animal its overall pigmentation.

Leucistic axolotls are an interesting genetic mutation to bring up here. They are white because the leucistic mutation causes pigment cells not to migrate from the neural crest. That's why you'll only ever find leucistic axolotls with a few black spots on the top of the head, and top parts of the flanks.
 
Hehe, gotta love your new avatar John.
Yeah the info is very nice, I've learned a lot from the development series you've posted.
 
Thanks!

The remaining photos will be posted in one thread tomorrow. I have photos from yesterday and today.
 
Great info and pic John! I enjoyed spying on my newt embryos - so interesting to see these little guys develop (and live!).
 
The remaining photos from the last few days will come tonight. At this point nearly all of the larvae have hatched and many are already feeding. I've been taking a Caudata.org break for the last few days (I need to do that occasionally, no offence to anyone!).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
General chit-chat
Help Users
  • No one is chatting at the moment.
  • Olivia:):
    what is the best thermometer for my axolotl tank? preferably on Amazon, and can you show me a picture or a link:) thank you!
     +1
    Unlike
  • Olivia:):
    Also should I have a fan hitting my axolotl tank 24/7?
     +1
    Unlike
  • thenewtster:
    does anyone know how to care for mud salamanders:)thanks.
     +1
    Unlike
  • thenewtster:
    hello
     +1
    Unlike
  • thenewtster:
    how long do mud salamanders live
     +1
    Unlike
  • thenewtster:
    im new to the salamaner comunity
     +1
    Unlike
  • thenewtster:
    hey guys, again im resarching mud salamander babys and there care:)
     +1
    Unlike
  • Katia Del Rio-Tsonis:
    Dear All, I would appreciate some help identifying P. waltl disease and treatment. We received newts from Europe early November and a few maybe 3/70 had what it looked like lesions under the legs- at that time we thought maybe it was the stress of travel- now we think they probably had "red leg syndrome" (see picture). However a few weeks later other newts started to develop skin lesions (picture enclosed). The sender recommended to use sulfamerazine and we have treated them 2x and we are not sure they are all recovering. Does anyone have any experience with P. waltl diseases and could give some input on this? Any input would be greatly appreciated! Thank you.
     +1
    Unlike
  • Katia Del Rio-Tsonis:
    sorry I am having a hard time trying to upload the pictures- I have them saved on my hard drive... any suggestions-the prompts here are not allowing for downloads that way as far as I can tell. Thanks
     +1
    Unlike
    Katia Del Rio-Tsonis: sorry I am having a hard time trying to upload the pictures- I have them saved on my hard... +1
    Back
    Top