Ambystoma T hybrid with Ambystoma Californiesis

Just wondering why A. Tigrinum hybrid with A Californiansis produce larger animals. Does this only occur in California or any where else or with other Salamander/Newt?

Also, how is the eradication of hybrid felt among members here? Just curious on how people feel about the action of the State of California Fish n Game euthanized of the hybrid?

I don't mean to start a war, I was just wondering if the member agree or disagree with California Fish and Games actions. Why or why not?

I do not have enough information to voice an option in either direction and hoped member would help me formulate an opinion.

Re: Ambystoma T hybreed with Ambystoma Califoriesis

What I am really asking is how do you feel about the destruction / eradication of the much more aggressive larger hybrid Ambystoma tigers?

Do you feel it is right to destroy them or do you feel the hybrid should be free to live?

Re: Ambystoma T hybreed with Ambystoma Califoriesis

Im all for the State eradicating the invasive populations of Ambystoma. I live in an area that has (luckily) not seen any hybrids turn up but some of the central CA populations are threatened by hybrids in a very major way. Without some attempt to control them entire populations of A. californiense could be lost in just a few generations.

Re: Ambystoma T hybreed with Ambystoma Califoriesis

The bigger size is due to an effect called "hybrid vigor".
I'm all in favor of their eradication aswell, it is a human caused problem and therefore it is up to us to put a remedy to it. If it had been a naturally ocurring sift in population genetics, then fine, but it's not, it's human caused.

Re: Ambystoma T hybreed with Ambystoma Califoriesis

Eradicating them, if that's even possible, is not dealing with the cause. If people are still using salamander larvae as bait, either legally or illegally, the problem will still persist. Obviously the adult hybrid animals should be removed and destroyed, or whatever, but it only takes a bucket of unused bait to be tipped in the water after an angler has finished and things will soon get back to square one.

Non-native Ambystoma have not legally entered the state in close to 7 years. The use of using larval tigers as bait is no longer an issue here but is still definitely a problem in much of the US.

I have heard of some A. californiense populations that are outnumbered nearly 2:1 by hybrids in certain central CA vernal pools. I agree that total eradication is unlikely, but the attempt is a worthy one. In certain areas where the native salamanders have been extirpated total extermination by poisoning has been proposed. Other places have introduced solitary large Channel Catfish to eat the larval hybrids. It seems to be a group effort across agencies which is nice to see, I am cautiously optimistic.

In my area developers keep building over prime habitat and filling in the vernal pools despite the Sonoma County population being federally listed. The county also discs severel times a year for what I assume are fire control concerns which can't help either. It is definitely an uphill battle all around.

The Channel catfish idea would be an excellent way of removing feral larvae, I have three pet Channel cats in my pond at home, the amount they can eat in one sitting is staggering and they will eat the same amount again a few hours later!

How big are the hybrid salamanders? Do you people have any photos?

You could just collect them when they migrate to breed, No?