Eyeless Alpestris Larva?

I've found an alpestris larvae with no pigmentation in it's eye. I can't tell if the eye even structurally exists.

Normal larva


Oddball larva - it's the same age as the above larva but doesn't look as well developed to me. It's siblings all have normal eyes - even ones that haven't hatched. I wonder how it will develop...


PS. I knocked it on to it's side for the purposes of the photo.

Mark said:

I wonder how it will develop...

Click to expand...

Not well, is the answer. It was dead a few hours after this photo was taken. Seems odd it came so far with such a massive defect.

Hi Mark
2 years ago I had a salamandra larva wich was born leucistic and had no eyes or mouth...actually it didn't have a face! It was also shorter than the others and was always in a curled position. It came from the same batch of the other leucistic one I posted the photos of. I put it to sleep cos there was no chance of it surviving. That year 7 larvae out of 21 were leucistic and except for the one in the picture all had other mutations, for example one had one eye smaller than the other. This year the same female produced another 14 larvae wich were all normal in colour and shape. The father was the same one for both gorups. I really can't explain it cos if the cause was to be explained with the genetics then how come this year out of 14 larvae none show any mutation in colour or shape...very strange

I am in the process of hatching a batch of some 60 waltl.

of 28 or so that have hatched...3 appear to either lack eyes or have very undeveloped ones.

This is genetic correct? Guess it will take some careful breeding to eliminate this.

fishkeeper said:

I am in the process of hatching a batch of some 60 waltl.

of 28 or so that have hatched...3 appear to either lack eyes or have very undeveloped ones.

Click to expand...

The key word here is 'appear'. They are probably just premature hatchlings that haven't developed as much as the others. If they truely are eyeless the I'd consider you lucky because none of their sibbling from numberous spawnings have been eyeless. Take pics if they are!

Their is one in particular that I'm thinking may well be. Where the eyes should be are just blank spots.

I'll take a photo and we'll see.