Tylototriton verrucosus identity confirmation needed.

[Bellabelloo]

Today I have received, what I believe are two females. They are beautiful, but they are very much different to my Tylototriton verrucosus. I suspect they may be different type.
I would very much appreciate your views on these please.

 

[Jay Redbond]

Hi Julia,

From my understanding there are no known subspecies that have been described, but localised variation can have marked morphological and behavioural differences. So they do vary morphologically, I know that there are two variations that I have come across in captivity the lighter form and darker form. These ones could be the darker variation.

Hope this helps.

Jay

 

[Sean90]

Mr cyclone knows his verrucosus maybe email him

 

[obrowell]

Here are some pics of the same newts from last year... hope this helps

They have darkened with age and more so when they have been out of water.

 

[obrowell]

Oh and here are pics of when I first acquired them...

:happy::happy:

 

[Bellabelloo]

Thank you every one for your responses.
And thankyou Owen for adding the photo's of them. I feel a tad silly now :/
The overall opinion seems to be that they are the darker form. They are beautiful animals

 

[FrogEyes]

These are as "verrucosus" as you can get, but there is considerable morphological variation in "true" verrucosus and more than one brown species may be involved. One subspecies has been described, T.v.pulcherimma, which is much more like T. shanjing, although I think species status is probably more appropriate.

If you want to know what T.verrucosus looks like, dig up the original description of T.shanjing. Only animals from Myanmar, India, Bhutan, and Nepal are similar in color, but some of those are very rugose. I have to wonder if there is ontogenetic, altitudinal, gender, or seasonal variation, since there's very little genetic variation.

 

[mr cyclone]

Dont worry Julia they look like my adults,The juveniles darken to this colour as they age ,just like the juves you already have they are the same variant

 

[Otterwoman]

I hope your verrucosus bring you as much joy as mine have brought to me!!