Bart's mutataion? 3 toes

[i_love_necturus]

Hi all,
I noticed this when I first got Bart (a female mudpuppy) nearly 5 months ago but I never posted much about it. I knew that mudpuppies and all other Necturus species have 4 toes on each front, and hind foot. Bart had 4 on the front hands, 4 on the right foot, but wait, she has 3 on the left foot. As you can see in the picture it doesn't look like something happened to the 4th toe, was she born this way? I also know about the high number of mutations in WC animals especially in Necturus. I remember reading that Necturus mutation levels are very high. So am I right? Is this a mutation? I'm just curious and would love to know if someone could tell me. Thanks

 

[Kaysie]

It happens. I doubt it's a mutation. I have an axolotl with 3 toes on the front foot. Mother Nature can't regrow perfect limbs all the time.

 

[i_love_necturus]

Yup that makes sense, no ones perfect as they say.

She has a gill that was damaged when I got her. Its the smallest gill on the left side of her head. It looked like it was bit in half (probably by another mudpuppy back at Ward's Bio) and it is growing in good. I'll try to get a pic of that gill sometime.