Quick check

[mwebber]

Hey guys I know this is the basic common question with paddletails but I was just wondering if people would confirm my thoughts for me on my two new paddletails I have obtained. I think they are Pachytriton labiatus (confirm please?) and that I have a male and female (male with spots on the tail and female without?). I am just checking because I have seen them both tail waft, and the one I suspect of being the male, has what appears to be a vastly different head to the female (size and shape).

Cheers guys

 

[Neotenic_Jaymes]

Tail waft? Maybe you mean tail fanning. Males and females of this species tail waft/tail fan. If they're in a hiding location and just waving their tails thats usually just a territorial gesture. Males will have a larger vent/cloaca.

Definitely Pachytriton labiatus. Also there is a picture of my male.

 

[FrogEyes]

Probably Pachytriton granulosus.

There is no Pachytriton labiatus [the name has been transferred to Paramesotriton, replacing "ermizhaoi"]. Animals labeled as "labiatus" in past include a minimum of six species (P.changi, P.feii, P.granulosus, P.inexpectatus, P.moi, P.xanthospilos).

 

[FX1C]

Tail waft? Maybe you mean tail fanning. Males and females of this species tail waft/tail fan. If they're in a hiding location and just waving their tails thats usually just a territorial gesture. Males will have a larger vent/cloaca.

Definitely Pachytriton labiatus. Also there is a picture of my male.

Is that worms near the cloaca pictured?
I'm seeing lots of tiny things & wonder if that is normal.... Sorry, I know nothing about newts but it looked weird to me



<3 >o_o< <3

 

[FrogEyes]

Those are cloacal papillae, a common trait in reproductive male salamanders.

 

[Neotenic_Jaymes]

Is that worms near the cloaca pictured?
I'm seeing lots of tiny things & wonder if that is normal.... Sorry, I know nothing about newts but it looked weird to me



<3 >o_o< <3

Males in many species have large a cloaca and papillae protruding outward.