video of Cynops pyrrhogaster shedding skin

[evut]

One of our juvenile Cynops pyrrhogaster shed his skin today.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAllo6KgRzQ

 

[Darkmaverick]

Thanks for the great video. It is always good to have a visual account of it.

 

[Kerry1968]

That was fascinating to watch thank you. I've never seen an amphibian (or any animal) shed before.

A couple of questions if it's OK to post here......

Do all amphibian shed?
Do they shed because they are growing or just something they do regularly to keep their skin in good condition?
Please excuse my ignorance on such matters.

 

[Greatwtehunter]

Do all amphibian shed?
Do they shed because they are growing or just something they do regularly to keep their skin in good condition?

All amphibians shed. I would assume they do it for both the reasons you listed, although I've never really bothered asking.

 

[Azhael]

Not all....neotenic species and individuals shouldn´t shed.
Shedding is something that appears during or inmediately after metamorphosis.

They do shed to accomodate their skin to their growing bodies, but it´s also used as a mechanism of defense against skin infections, to help heal superficial wounds, etc.

 

[Greatwtehunter]

Not all....neotenic species and individuals shouldn´t shed.
Shedding is something that appears during or inmediately after metamorphosis.

Axolotls shed and they are neotenic.

 

[Azhael]

All of them?
I was under the impression that pure Ambystoma mexicanum didn´t normally shed. Shedding doesn´t occur in larval caudates, and since neoteny means retention of larval characteristics i assumed there was no shedding. I think i recall reading somewhere a long time ago that only "hybrid" axolotls shed.
Anyway i don´t keep the species, so if i´m wrong, thanks for correcting me Justin.

 

[Azhael]

Seems i was utterly wrong. As i said i "learnt" about this a very long time ago..when my english was substantially worse and i must have misunderstood the information(plus there is a lot of inaccurate information around the internet) .
Larval caudates(and all larval amphibians for that matter) don´t shed, but post-larval animals, neotenic or not, shed. There are differences in the skin characteristics between neotenics/the rest though(obviously) and i think that´s what confused me.
Thanx Justin, i would have been mistaken about this for even longer.

PS: sorry for the flawed information Kerry.

 

[nora]

I've never seen this before. It was fascinating.Thank you. I felt a little itchy while watching it.:lol:

 

[AaronK]

Great video, thanks for posting. It was interesting to see him eat it at the end. I have newts eat their shed in the water but never on land.