Sexing Pseudotriton ruber ruber?

[axolotlfreak56]

I currently have two adult Norther Red Salamanders (Pseudotriton ruber ruber).
Both of them are fully mature. But I'm really have trouble sexing them. How would I be able to sex them?

 

[Lamb]

I don't believe that there is a way to sex them using external physical characteristics. The papers that I know of that have looked at sex-ratios have dissected individuals and identified their sex via their gonads.

 

[taherman]

There are subtle differences. I have cared for two large, old, adult breeding pairs for many years. At least at this size, the males tends to be slimmer bodied with a wider more angular head, while the females have a slightly smaller (relative to body size) head which is not so angular. The females are often quite full bodied as well, which returns quickly after oviposition. You can also visualize the white mass of eggs in the body of the female for much of the year.

Not easy by any means though. How about Gyrinophilus?? I still havent figured that one out.

Good luck,
Tim

 

[Lamb]

T the males tends to ...[have]... a wider more angular head

Angular in what way?

 

[axolotlfreak56]

There are subtle differences. I have cared for two large, old, adult breeding pairs for many years. At least at this size, the males tends to be slimmer bodied with a wider more angular head, while the females have a slightly smaller (relative to body size) head which is not so angular. The females are often quite full bodied as well, which returns quickly after oviposition. You can also visualize the white mass of eggs in the body of the female for much of the year.

Not easy by any means though. How about Gyrinophilus?? I still havent figured that one out.

Good luck,
Tim

Thanks for the input. I'm going to have to take a look at them more carefully when I get the chance.

 

[taherman]

Angular in that the sides stick out at fairly sharp angles behind the eyes. Makes it almost like a diamond/square shape with the snout at one corner and the widest part of the head at two other corners. These corners are more rounded off in the females we have.