Triturus marmoratus, the results of more one year of culture.

[eljorgo]

A lot of time has passed from January. Back then all I had were adult males fanning tails heavy to the females. After more than half a year from the enormous amount of eggs from my both females I have 'flooded' the house with morphs. Right now everybody´s on land. Except one little 5cm guy that still is on water. The last one of his kind. After he jumps out marmoratus culture season is over for me.
Just some months ago they were like this
T. marmoratus CB2010 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

And one week ago they looked like this:

The last one:

Hope you guys enjoy as I enjoyed raising these newts for the second time in my life.

 

[Italicus]

Simply fantastic.

 

[Azhael]

Lovely pictures, particularly the last three, very nice indeed.
Thanx for sharing, Jorge.

 

[Davo]

Very nice pics! Very nice newts! :happy:

 

[Otterwoman]

They blend so well into the environment, it really makes me wonder what is the purpose of the red stripe. It only draws attention to them.

 

[Azhael]

I´ve considered that, Dawn and i came up with a couple of possibilities.
First one is that it´s simply there for aposematic reasons, after all the animal has toxins but unlike other Triturus doesn´t have an aposematic belly. Therefore it develops a more brilliantly colored dorsal line than the rest.
Given that juveniles are very gregarious, it could also be for disruptive purposes (the bodies blend together and all you get is a confusing mess of orange lines).
I even imagined that it could be mimetism with the orangy filaments of the sporophytes of certain mosses xD

In reality...who knows, but this species sure is gorgeous

 

[eljorgo]

Thank you all for the kind comments

Rodrigo very nice question.... Why a orange stripe... Well even asking myself i cant come up with ideas like you did, but i liked the idea of they getting at together and all the group look like a mess of orange filaments. But surely it might be by some aposematic reason...

Off course marbled newts are gorgeous!!
cheers,
Jorge

 

[huug]

Jorge,...

You made some great pics, i am not only jealous on your marms but allso on your camera!

I especially love the lower pics of the larvae on white gravel, fantastic!
Great colors and patterns, good luck raising them!

 

[Allistor]

Oh my god... Wonderful marms and photos! :shocked:

 

[caudatadude28]

Gorgeous Jorge!

 

[Lorrio]

Absolutely nice. My favorite newt, without doubt.

 

[eljorgo]

Thank you all for your kind coments:wacko:

Greetz,
Jorge

 

[Molch]

They blend so well into the environment, it really makes me wonder what is the purpose of the red stripe. It only draws attention to them.

I've always wondered this, too, until I saw them on top of this wad of moss: The orange stripe perfectly blends with the orange stems of the mosses. Great camouflage