Triturus Vittatus

[david]

Everything I've read on this species says the max temp these should be kept at is upper 60's low 70's farenheit. Since they come from low lands of Syria, Lebanon, and Isreal how do they survive in the wild. Do they rent air conditioned condos for the summer?

 

[eric]

I think Triturus V. Vittatus is not active (estivating) during the hot mediterranean summer and reproduce only in fall to avoid dry season. Triturus V. Ophreticus, a sub-species found in the Caucasus and north of Turkey, follows a more regular life cycle hibernating during winter and being active the rest of the year.

 

[nate]

Air temps are quite higher than ground temps, where the newts would be staying for the peak temps of summer. Water is also usually cooler, if it's deep enough.

This is a bit like Taricha torosa in California and Notophthalmus in Florida. Air temps in those states often exceed 100F, but it does not mean the newts are exposing themselves to those temps.

 

[david]

I've recently purchased some wild caughts and they were interupted in breeding (although they're making for it now). My understating is vittatus vittatus normally breed from March to May. Everything I see about weather over there is it's allready hot. It must me alot cooler by the Mediteranian.

 

[nate]

Again, air temps are misleading. Even if the air temps are very high, the water in pools and the ground temps are often far lower.

There's a good example of this with Oedepina in Oaxaca, Mexico. Researchers found air temps were often above 100F, but an inch into the leaf litter, it was a cool 68F.

 

[caleb]

David- is it T. v. vittatus you have? These are pretty rare in captivity- most of the imports in the trade are T. v. ophryticus from ex-Soviet states.

As Eric said, I was under the impression that T. v. v. were winter breeders, the AmphibiaWeb article here:
http://elib.cs.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/amphib_query?where-genus=Triturus&where-species=vittatus
suggests that as well.

T. v. ophryticus is much more of a highland dweller, hence the preference for lower temperatures. These breed in spring, like the northern Triturus. I've been told that adults are VERY sensitive to higher temperatures, juveniles less so.

 

[aaron]

David does indeed have ophryticus. I've seen pictures of them.

~Aaron

 

[kamil]

Hi!

I have also some T. vit. vit. (CB). They breed in Winter (I've been told by a person who breeds T. vit. vit. every year). Mine "survived" Temperatures about 27° C (for 2 weeks every day about 5 hours) in the summer. So they are very tolerant about that. But I think that it mustn't be the standard-temperature.
What I have noticed is, that they burrow themselves into the earth when it get's too hot. I must say, that the air in the terrarium was not that hot as the air in my room...But it was very high. And it seems, that the dry surrounding is better at hot temperatures than a wet one.

Greetings from Germany,

Kamil

 

[david]

After the Auction last night, I checked out my egg trays. Happy Birthday Vittatus

 

[steve]

congrats DAVE!