Paramesotriton chinensis?

Hi All,
I've had these Paramesotriton for a while now and was hoping to confirm they are chinensis. I know the pictures are not great but I was hoping for some input.
Thanks,
Duncan

Yep, chinensis in my opinion. Got any more pics, maybe of different animals?

Ralf

I agree with Ralf At least they look almost exactly like my own "chinensis"

Hi Everyone,
Here's a few more pics of my P. chinensis(?) Since I moved them into their larger and brighter quarters, their overall colour has also lightened. Talk about your "warty" newts! The first is of what I think is a big female and the second is of a male.


Any second opinions?
Duncan

I'm not sure...
the original description of fuzhongensis says that 2 key characteristics are a) the tail goes mottled at the end - shown in your animals, and b) very granular skin - also displayed in your newts.
However, the yellow belly is typical of chinensis - is it still yellow, or is that just one of the animals?
Hope this helps
Chris

OK then, are these two I bought today chinensis as well?


Thnx,

They Are Paramestriton Fuzhongenises.

Which ones are you referring to Dean? Mike's or mine? And what's your basis?
To me, Mike's look different from mine; something about the head shape/lower jaw as well as the skin granulations looking less pronounced. But maybe its just the picture?
By the way, when I went to look at them a few minutes ago, the smaller male had almost the entire head of the female in his mouth! She eventually shook him off and them drove him away. Signs of things to come I hope? Has anyone observed this aggressive courtship before? I'll try to get a picture.
Duncan

Yes Duncan, I think they are different, but I'm not 100% sure. I think they are probably P.hongkongensis (cranial & lateral ridges). Definitely not P.caudopunctatus (Froggy - agree?). Some of the original batch had orange dorsal ridges, but this pair don't. Male has metallic streak on tail, larger cloaca. I don't know their origin, so I'm assuming they are wc.
Hmm, head in mouth sounds more like feeding than courtship behavoir. So far, mine are surprisingly peaceful and like hanging out together.

Mike - p.fuzhongensis. Not caudos as they just look completely different allround! The top one is probably a female as it has a long tail comparatively to body length, but it may turn out to be a male. If they are adult and from a petshop they are wildcaught. One of the animals seems to have a swollen throat sack. Watch it as many are collected on fishing hooks from the wild so it may be infected (happened to one of mine). Be careful and watch for skin problems - transported in crowded conditions on newspapers. These shipments are a mixture of fuzhongensis and caudopunctatus with possibility of a small number of guanxiensis.
Duncan - this is not coutship - it is pure aggression either over territory or over food (more likely as the head was grabbed). Paramesotriton have a triturus like courship dance with the male 'sprinting' in front of the female and frantically tail waving. I am hopeful for eggs as I've seen a couple of spermatophores around the tank.
Watch out for aggression - it can suddenly break out in a normally peaceful colony (happened to me and now a a seriously il one (due to infected wound) and another out cast) both the victims were males, but females can be just as aggressive towards males or other females.
Has anyone got a female they could sell me (in UK)or Mike - could you possibly peurchase me a female from that petshop and send it to me - I'll obviously pay for the animal and postage? The females will not necessarily have a flat cloaca, but one that starts and ends behind the back legs or just between. (see pic)
Hope this helps
Chris

+++ jpeg +++ 10321 +++ male/female +++

(Message edited by froggy on January 04, 2004)

Duncan, comparing your animals with Mikes, I would say yours are chinensis - they are greyer and have the yellow belly. It really doesn't matter too much as long as all your animals are the same (for breeding) and any other animals you purchase are the same. The best way to tell is from the larvae and morphs.
Chris

My female wartie looks exactly like Mikes but is darker in colour,would you think it is the same species anyone?