Unusual coloration in Cynops ensicauda

[rickard]

Found this Cynops ensicauda ensicauda(?) in a petstore today.

It was kept in a heated tank with a bunch of other ensicaudas, so i'm not sure if it will make it. My apartment is only 19-20C so i tried to give it a few hours to cool down.

I think its a C.e.e and not C.e.p, since the rest of the ones in the pet store was C.e.e and it would be unlikely to have several ssp. in one shipping batch.

Since its new and a juvenile i keep it separate from my other ensicaudas.
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Rickard

 

[ralf]

Hi Rickard,
beautiful animal, good luck with it. Most probably you are right in determining the subspecies, as only C.e.e. displays the fine white speckling barely visible on the dark colour between the dorso-lateral and lateral stripes. Might be a female. Do you have a companion?

 

[joseph]

Interesting. I would second the opinion on a female. Looks like it has a lightning bolt running down the side

 

[rickard]

Thanks for the comments! I would also like to see how the offspring turns out, although my other ensicaudas look quite ordinary.
If its a female i have one male with some white speckling, so that might be a suitable pair. If its a male then i have i female without speckling, but with strong "unbroken" dorso-lateral stripes.

Right now i'm keeping it at 18C and it seems to be doing fine, searching the tank for food

I gave it some bloodworms last night and it ate like nothing happend. Should the feeding frequency be the same as for the adults, or should i feed it more often?
/Rickard

 

[rickard]

Two more pics of the same animal, back and belly.

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Rickard