Pleurodeles waltl size?

[fishkeeper]

Curious how big everyones P. waltl are getting in what timespan. Pictures would be great too! Curious how much this varies.

 

[Ken Worthington]

Hi, I got this chap back in September (at around 8cm);
http://www.caudata.org/forum/f49-ad...-ribbed-newt-pleurodeles-waltl-cb-2010-a.html

So in four months he has doubled in length, got a lot 'chunkier', especially his limbs, (I believe him to be a male, by the way). His colour has darkened slightly since I've had him, also.

I should've named him "Wow! Hasn't he grown!" because that is normally the response he gets when friends visit.

The above post has a picture of him in September, I'll post some up-to-date pictures soon :happy:

PS. P waltl are such a great species

 

[smh6725]

In this species do the male or female get the largest??

 

[Ken Worthington]

As promised, here's a photo;

Ooopps!

Better still, here's a very short video;

YouTube - Pleurodeles waltl

@smh, I don't think there is much of a difference, but I'd be interested to know also.

 

[Azhael]

The females definitely get larger, up to 30cm.

 

[Ken Worthington]

The females definitely get larger, up to 30cm.

I was under the impression that it was only in the wild that this species can grow that large.

The female is more likely to be 'plump', for want of a better word, than the male, (but this is generally the case with a lot of newt species).

As for differences in overall length between the two genders, I read somewhere that the male is slightly bigger than the female

I'd be interested in members' experience/opinions and sources of information.

 

[Azhael]

Well the females are certainly much bulkier. The size of the males is very much affected by the longer tail, they seem large but have in fact a substantially smaller body mass. The same happens in many species where males secondarily develop longer tails.
I don´t keep this species myself but i always thought captive animals also showed a larger size in females. However it´s true that the full size appears to be present only in wild populations (although i´d be curious to see reliable meassurements of old captive females).

 

[donia]

Not measured my monsters for a while, but I have found that my males are longer than my females, but my females are wider than the males (based on 3 girls and 4 boys). No idea on the age of these - they were adults when I got them 2 years ago and came from a rescue center, so didn't get their history.

I have done a lot of reading on this species, but not come across anything regarding the difference in length of males and females, just the wideness of their bodies. Has anyone else?

 

[Ken Worthington]

I have done a lot of reading on this species, but not come across anything regarding the difference in length of males and females, just the wideness of their bodies. Has anyone else?

"Total length of males to 312mm, up to 286mm for females. Specimens from northern Africa are smaller than those from European populations. Tail length is smaller than snout-vent length. The tails of females are shorter than those of males. Males also show a broader tail-base and fin during the breeding season."

From "Newts and Salamanders of Europe" by R.A.Griffiths (1996), I'm led to believe (I don't have the book myself)

I can't obviously vouch for the accuracy in this, of course

Hope this helps :happy:

 

[caleb]

Griffiths' book doesn't mention those sizes, he just says 'up to 30cm'.

I've seen a reference to those sizes from:

Salvador, A., & Garcia-Paris, M., 1999. Pleurodeles waltl (Michahelles, 1830) – Rippenmolch. In:
Grossenbacher, K., & Thiesmeier, B. Handbuch der Reptilien und Amphibien Europas. Band 4/I Schwanzlurche (Urodela).

But I've not actually seen this book, so can't confirm it.

 

[smh6725]

Thanks to everyone for that and yes I would definately have to agree that the females are plumper then the males! I can't wait to get my next one tomaroo they are such good newts with their own personalities!

 

[Mark]

My largest P.waltl is 23-24cm total length and is an 18 year old male. I think it's rare for them to reach 30cm in captivity. I remember once someone saying they grew larger if males were kept separate from females. I don't know if there's any truth in that. I would say an average adult size for my group is 20-22cm. Male tail length normally makes them longer than females.

 

[froggy]

Is there any idea why captive animals don't grow as large? Diet? Gene pool? Temperatures? Does anyone here cool their animals every year?

 

[caleb]

I saw another size reference yesterday- Steward's 'Tailed amphibians of Europe' suggests that 15-16 inches (38-40 cm) is possible. I'd take that one with a pinch of salt, though.

I've seen some huge ones in the Algarve- not sure of the total length (must be close to 30cm), but they were too fat to get my hand round them.

 

[Ken Worthington]

Steward's 'Tailed amphibians of Europe' suggests that 15-16 inches (38-40 cm) is possible. I'd take that one with a pinch of salt, though.

I read that also, and I'd have to agree with you, Caleb.
Maybe in the Steward household, a lot of cheese is consumed just before bedtime....

 

[BILLY JAMES]

Here is a link Azhael posted on my thread about Pleurodeles sizes

This one has to be around 40cm

http://www.mediterranea.org/cae/divu.../pleurwal1.jpg

 

[eljorgo]

Ken Worthington,

Gotta tell you this:
-Wow! Hasn't he grown!!! xD
Its really nothing to do with the picture in September. Really incredible how some species can grow so much in such short gap of time .

Well Thanks to caleb I will do a visit to Algarve and make some field work to then post it right here. No idea when but would be something interesting to do!

Cheers

 

[fishkeeper]

It must have something to do with density they are raised at in captivity. Mine are about 1.5 years old and not much bigger than large Triturus karelinii I have seen.

 

[slatera]

Mine are 5mm long at three days after hatching! Hoping for bigger things to come!

 

[slatera]

Up to 10mm now - at 11 days after hatching; that's a doubling of size in that time!