Triturus alpestris larvae

[TJ]

In the spirit of volunteerism

, I decided to help a friend reduce his population of T.alpestris larvae by acquiring 8 of them:

 

[TJ]

(this one seems to be missing a leg)

 

[jennifer]

Tim, do you know what subspecies they are?

 

[TJ]

Jen, I wasn't even aware there were subspecies until earlier this evening when I read the Caudate Culture report on them. I'll ask next chance I get

Meanwhile, here are some pics of some juvies, which I think come from the same parents:

 

[TJ]

I didn't get any good pics of the parents as I wasn't expecting at the time that I'd be bringing home any larvae. Here's the only pic I took:

Can anybody identify the subspecies based on any of the above pics?

 

[john]

Well it ain't apuanus for what it's worth. Looks like nominate to me.

 

[TJ]

Thanks for the guess, John. I haven't yet asked the person who gave them to me about the subspecies, but I will.

going, going...

gone!

 

[TJ]

Some of them were missing chunks of tail when I received them, especially this one:

 

[david]

They do go through some phases. The nipping will probably calm down soon

 

[TJ]

Thanks, Dave. Do you think the larvae with the missing tail is still viable?

They were being kept in a small container before I received them, and there were many more in there than 8. That's where and when the nipping occurred. I don't expect much more, if any, since they're now in a large container, with plenty of food

 

[david]

I think it stands a good chance. I'd still consider keeping it in a seperate container, so it doesn't get picked on and would minimize the chances of infections

(Message edited by dln on August 03, 2004)

 

[tara]

I isolated one of my T. cristatus larvae when it lost its entire tail and one pair of gills to a nippy sibling. It is now the biggest of the larvae I raised this year, and yet to metamorphose at a whopping 3.5 inches. I can tell he is ready to go soon because his gills are reducing. My baby is growing up.

 

[david]

They still doing well for you then Tara?

 

[tara]

yes. But I did not get many offspring to survive. Ignorance on my part as one of them was a cannibal and i didn't notice until most had disappeared. Next year I will be more careful. I have an adult female with a bad eye (it is a little cloudy) but she is surviving with it and it seemingly has no other effects on her...she was even laying eggs this past spring.
Tara

 

[tara]

here are two of my babies

 

[joseph]

Dunno how the tails normally look, but drawing from some experience with frogs most of those larvae have been nipped on the end at one time or another and then regenerated

 

[TJ]

I can't wait until mine start to look like Tara's

The two bigger ones pictured here are both about 3.5 cm now:

 

[TJ]

Here's one that's not far from morphing:

 

[TJ]

I noticed what seems to be a yellow line developing on the dorsal ridge. Is this going to lead somewhere or is it transitional as with Cynops pyrrhogaster?

 

[leo]

Hey Tim
This isn't going to lead anywhere.
All juveniles get a dorsal stripe their first year and eventually this will disappear.
It does look great, doesn't it?
Gr. Leo