Newt ID/ confirmation?

[shnabo]

A few months ago I was browsing a pet store and came across an interesting looking fire belly, so I brought it home. I was looking online to try to ID it but it is like no firebelly I have ever seen. A friend of mine happened to buy two of the same kind with less visible spots from the same store two weeks prior, so we are hoping to have a possible breeding group. There wasn't much info online or pictures to refer to, based on my research and some people I have spoken to I think it is H. Orphicus, I was wondering if anyone is working with these or could confirm? The spots don't turn out too well in pics, vary from dark to light from time to time. The chubby pic is current. It also has some white spots on its back kind of like a Japanese fire belly, some orange on the dorsal and orange on top of the 'elbows'. Any help is appreciated ??

 

[Niels D]

It looks a lot like H. orphicus indeed. Look at the spots on top of it's front legs on the other side of the armpits.

 

[shnabo]

I am curious if they are just colour morphs or have possibly already hybridized. I will post updates if there are any! Thank you for your help.

 

[Jort]

Beautiful animals! I've seen a couple of colour varieties with H. orientalis, but never this one. Had to google orphicus and they show a lot of similarities.