Albino Andrias japonicus

...also,

I found the whole page that those two very strange salamanders are on, and it has articles about monsters being x-rayed in Japan, mummufied mermaids, and a community of people martian people that will gain independence from earth in the year 2097....so it doesn't exactly help the authenticity of the "albino japonicus larvae" story. I'm not saying that there aren't albino A.japonicus, I'm just saying, I found it hard to believe that those two were the real deal.

Have a look at the other stories for yourself, and see how many are truely believable, the one about the salamanders is about half way down the page.



http://images.google.com/imgres?img...images?q=japanese+giant+salamander&um=1&hl=en
 
That larval japonicus even has blunt, rounded toes. I'm still having a difficult time grasping the fact that those are albino japonicus larvae. Sorry if anyone is yelling at me through the computer right now, but the toes man! The toes don't lie!

Thanks for that link Ralf.
 
The toes look the same to me, the numbers match up and the albino rear foot we can see does not appeared damaged in any way so I don't think it's an axolotls with a badly regenerated foot.
 
I find it hard to believe they are larval japonicus. Apart from the issue of the toes (which do look too long), the head shape isn't right and the leg length is all wrong. Japonicus legs are short and stubby both as larva and adult. The legs of the albinos pictured are long, slender and well formed. That said the eyes don't look right for axolotls.
 
We should start a poll. It's a pity that our man in Tokyo has gone to ground. We could solicit his visiting the zoo in question to put this debate at an end.
 
I think the gills are too small for an axolotl, and the problem people keep seeing with the head is an angle and photo resolution/quality issue.

And if they really had found axolotls in that stream, that would be a pretty serious deal and I'm sure it would have made a bigger splash in Japan.
 
And if they really had found axolotls in that stream, that would be a pretty serious deal and I'm sure it would have made a bigger splash in Japan.
Peter, I think the implication is that pinktentacles.com, or whatever the site is called, got some axolotls and took photos claiming them to be something they're not, rather than someone in Japan actually found some axolotls in a stream.
 
I would have to put my vote in with hoax.

Not because of any pictures or toe counts as I am no expert on that, but because of the source. One 15 month old article on a site that deals with cryptozooids and the only other references being two pages that cite pinktentacle. There isn't a single other source for this. No news post on anything Google will give me. No mention of an albino offspring in that year's Japanese Herpetology symposium handbook. I just think at least one reputable website like sciencedaily.com would have posted something.
 
Hey everyone - I can read Japanese and I believe I found an article on the Asa Zoo website relating to the breeding of the japonicus at the zoo. I can't access it here at work (we don't have text support for Japanese), but when I get home I'll translate for everyone.

EDIT: Pinktentacles or whatever said they found the information on the Asahi Shinbun so I'll look there as well to see if the reference article exists.
 
Definitely do a poll. I vote hoax too.

Maybe they're too stressed because the scientists that 'discovered' them kept them in the same enclosure as those mermaid mummies when they were still alive?

In fact, they probably kept the mermaids with the salamanders in a tank on board the martian colony's space hotel.

I just can't find a way to truely believe all of these "pinktentacle" myths.
 
Hey everyone - I can read Japanese and I believe I found an article on the Asa Zoo website relating to the breeding of the japonicus at the zoo. I can't access it here at work (we don't have text support for Japanese), but when I get home I'll translate for everyone.

EDIT: Pinktentacles or whatever said they found the information on the Asahi Shinbun so I'll look there as well to see if the reference article exists.


Yay! I can't wait! Maybe you shouldn't have advertised that you can translate Japanese...you may be bombarded by PMs...
 
To all the pro-hoaxers, bless your hearts.
 
I don't know if 'hoax' is the right word. Maybe someone is a 'mislead journalist'. Or they're so willing (gullible) to believe anything that comes their way, they'd post it. Then again... they post pics of bigfoot.

But Abrahm is right: I googled this too, and looked extensively. I also searched for any articles on the school's library site and couldn't find anything. If this was legitimate, I would expect there to be something other than 'pinktentacle' references.
 
I'll bet Jake 5.00 that they are juvenile giant salamanders.
 
Andrias japonicus

If Mr. Shrom says they are Andrias, I think he is right., for he has a vast experience with caudates. I respect his opinion.
 
If Mr. Shrom says they are Andrias, I think he is right., for he has a vast experience with caudates. I respect his opinion.

I agree but how come now one listened to me? :p
 
Beautiful freaks

If those are axolotls, they're the axolotl equivalent of this. Just to clarify, I believe they are Andrias.
 

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Alright, now I am confused.:confused: So they really are A. japonicus? If that is true, thanks for helping to find out! Also, I too would like to see a picture of a normal larval A.japonicus -it would really be helpful, seeing as these albinos are the first I have ever seen. Maybe a picture of A.davidianus larvae could help.
cgs_larvae.jpg
 
I am really on the fence about this. However if both Michael Shrom and John both say they are Andrias, then sorry, but I believe them.:D

And oh yeah, thanks for the link to the normal A.japonicus larva picture, I missed that earlier.
 
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