Anderson's Axolotls! All Females!?

[Azhael]

Sure, they are very closely related species and there may have been natural introgressions in the past. However that´s not really relevant to the artificial hybridisation between the two species to obtain golden albino axolotls. This event was purposefully planned to introduce a completely foreign allele. Also, it was hugely promoted and golden albinos are now VERY common. Add to that the variety of other alleles that have been selected through inbreeding in captivity and what you get is a captive population that not only contains alleles which do not happen naturally in the species, but also a much, MUCH higher frequency of alleles that are not coherent with wild populations. So we have an artificial hybridisation event that we know of (with A.tigrinum individuals that were not a neighbouring population) and a great deal of mutations and inbreeding. There are even eyeless axolotls, dwarves, and a variety of lethal genes. Compare the incidence of such alleles in the wild (if they exist at all) and i would almost dare to guarantee you won´t get similar results.
Think of captive axolotls as a second population that through isolation and specific and distinct presures (artificial ones) has started a process of speciation, thus following their own path away from the original. Still the same species, of course, but not the same population by any means. A rather poor example could be comparing it to different subspecies, or more accurately to a domesticated variety where captive animals are Ambystoma mexicanum var. domestica.

 

[GlowingFauxPas]

There are even eyeless axolotls, dwarves, and a variety of lethal genes.

What are dwarf axolotls? Ones that stay small?

 

[Azhael]

While i think what you are talking about exists i was talking about something else, they are axolotls with severe deformities that affect the length and proportions of their skeletal structures.

http://www.caudata.org/forum/f46-be...ssion-free-all/58070-body-shape-genetics.html

 

[Sarosaurus]

Hey Matt --

I'm kicking myself in the rear for not ordering some in when you did. Maybe if I would have there would be some males floating around. Good luck in your quest for a male!

To everyone else posting in the topic, why don't you stay ON topic? He's looking for males. That means there doesn't need to be any other discussion going on about re-introducing axolotls into the wild, how're they're interbred, etc. I think it would be a lot more helpful if you could point him in the direction of finding his male.

 

[xxianxx]

To everyone else posting in the topic, why don't you stay ON topic? He's looking for males. That means there doesn't need to be any other discussion going on about re-introducing axolotls into the wild, how're they're interbred, etc. I think it would be a lot more helpful if you could point him in the direction of finding his male.[/QUOTE]

lol, you are 100% correct , this thread has been hijacked accidentally , would anyone more qualified than me care to start a new one?

 

[Neil C]

This posting is not even in the correct section of the Forum. Could it possibly be moved to the Ambystomatids section please?


Regards Neil