Video of red C. pyrrhogaster

[jeff]

My reaction- "OH WOW!"
I had to download Realplayer to play it but it was well worth it. What a strange variation. By the way, where about do you live in Japan, Tim?

 

[TJ]

Glad you enjoyed it, Jeff.

I sure did

I'm in Tokyo, and Gifu is a bit too far away from here to go and have a firsthand look, though it's certainly tempting...

 

[TJ]

Here's a link to a Japanese video showing an extremely rare all-red C. pyrrhogaster on display at the Gifu World Fresh Water Aquarium:

http://www.pref.gifu.lg.jp/pref/gib/3_news/0502/3j18.ram

(video pic from above website in case it disappears)

 

[paris]

whaahhh!! how come i cant download it?? i get 'page cannot be displayed'....now i can get the other vid -the hynobid one- which is a 'ajx'(i think )...why cant i get this one??

 

[jameswei]

Tim was there any reason, any specific mutation, or perhaps a pathological reason, as to why the sallie is this color?

 

[TJ]

Hi James,

From what I've read, the genetic mechanisms responsible for the emergence of red variants are not well understood. Results of experimental hybridizations in the laboratory strongly suggest that in C. pyrrhogaster the dorsal skin coloration characteristic of at least one of the color variant types (red-colored dorsum with black spots) is inherited and recessive.

For further info, see the Herpetological Society of Japan publication Current Herpetology 22(1): 37-42, June 2003.

Red variants of the Japanese Newt Cynops pyrrhogaster (amphibia: Salamandridae): Review of Records and Captive Observations on the Heredity of Coloration

Kumi Matsui, Junsuke Marunouchi and Masahisa Nakamura

Paris, did you install RealPlayer?

(Message edited by TJ on March 16, 2005)