Hynobiid exhibit

Here's a somewhat morbid but interesting picture at the Himeji City Aquarium showing preserved specimens of 18 of Japan's 20+ salamander species:



(Message edited by TJ on August 15, 2004)

Not morbid at all. they seem quite well preserved (clearly formalin-fixed initially, though hopefully not still in formalin), though arching of the spine is frowned upon (makes snout-vent length harder to get accurately). Hmm.. also looks like they weren't all prepped by the same person. Note that some have the alternating hind limbs and some do not. Alternating hind limbs are useful because some keys ask for the number of costal grooves between toe and finger when the limbs are pressed against the body. some don't have legs arranged at all and just seem to be fixed in the classic "dead salamander" pose. I'd say that at least 3 people.. maybe 4.. were involved in the prep work, or 1 person who learned quickly.

The tags are also different. Looks like 3 different tags in use... or at least 3 different colors of label tape.. and some specimens without tags at all (probably from a teaching collection... looks like those tend to be the ones with alternating hind limbs too). G was probably found dead and/or prepared by a non-herpetologist... looks like it was just plopped in the preservative without care for the pose. It was tagged afterwards. E may have given a tail tip as a tissue sample.

Does it say where the specimens are? what museum or university collection?

Greg

Hmmm. sorry but I don't know anything more than what's in that pic. I was rushing through the exhibit and the pics all came out pretty badly. I'll check the uncropped original when I get a chance