Super-red C. orientalis

[TJ]

This one-in-a-million C.orientalis variant belongs to a friend of mine. I finally got a chance to see and photograph it -- and what a beauty it is!

 

[rob]

Nice photo Tim.

Tell that friend they had better be breeding it!

Would be nice to see some colour variants with an easily bred species.

 

[leonardo]

just awesome!
wonderful animal!
bye
leo

 

[TJ]

Did I say one in a million? Well, maybe more like one in 50,000, but yes, Rob, I'll exert all my powers of persuasion -- twist some arms, cap some knees even

-- to ensure its bred!

The comforting thing is that it's in hands of a very conscientious newtkeeper, Mr. Yamamoto (who I've encouraged to contribute to this site!) If we can all join forces and get a selective breeding program underway, maybe we can come up with a new strain, what say C.orientalis yamamotoensis?!

But it's still a bit young so there might be a bit of a wait. I forgot to check if it was male or female, but will perhaps post a belly shot tonight.

 

[ralf]

Nice pictures, Tim.

Ralf

 

[TJ]

haha...but you're too kind Ralf. You mean to say "nice newt." Well, truth be told, I was slightly inebriated at the time, and the pics were taken in a bar, so most of the pics were as blurry as the person who took them

Being an orientalis keeper and breeder yourself, have you noticed any interesting variations among your adults or juvies other than their different ventral patterns?

 

[ralf]

Hi Tim,
no I never noticed anything like this in my C.o.. Are you sure you didn't accidentally sprinkle your Bloody Mary over the animal

? Some of mine turn grey from time to time. I think Nate and paul_b also breed them regularly. My C.e.p. show a lot more individual variation in phenotype of the juveniles than my C.o. do.
Being a "traditionalist" I am always interested in variations, but not in breeding ornamental newts anyway. This is just my own personal opinion, though

.
I just wonder, if Yamamoto will ever invite you into his "newt-dungeon", so you will be able to provide more superb pics of extraordinary newts.

Ralf

 

[paul]

Wooow!
In the last ten years I breed hundreds of C.orientalis. Some of them became grey or bluish, or had several red spots on their back or a red dorso/lateral line.
But I never saw such one.

Greetings Paul

 

[TJ]

Ralf, not sure what else he's got brewing down in his dungeon, but if that one's any indication...!

I seem to recall Aaron sharing the same disinclination toward tampering with Mother Nature, breeding ornamental/designer newts. Can't say I share that aversion (keeping an human-engineered cocker spaniel, Shetland sheepdog, discus, etc. may partly explain this).

Paul, you're more than welcome to add any of those pics to your registry page as always.

Here are a few more:

 

[ralf]

Ha, ha, ha, Tim, you have a point there. I wouldn't want you to share your appartment with a couple of timber wolves, actually.
Again, very nice pics.
Best regards also to your designer ornamental wolves

.

Ralf