Caudata.org: Newts and Salamanders Portal

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
Did you know that registered users see fewer ads? Register today!

Triturus marmoratus, the results of more one year of culture.

eljorgo

Banned
Joined
Aug 9, 2008
Messages
799
Reaction score
19
Location
ovos moles
A lot of time has passed from January. Back then all I had were adult males fanning tails heavy to the females. After more than half a year from the enormous amount of eggs from my both females I have 'flooded' the house with morphs. Right now everybody´s on land. Except one little 5cm guy that still is on water. The last one of his kind. After he jumps out marmoratus culture season is over for me.
Just some months ago they were like this
T. marmoratus CB2010 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

And one week ago they looked like this:
dibverse4.jpg


dibverse.jpg


_MG_0450.jpg


_MG_0939.jpg


dibverse5.jpg


dibverse6.jpg


dibverse7.jpg


dibverse8.jpg


marm.jpg


The last one:

_MG_0996.jpg


_MG_1003.jpg


_MG_1006.jpg



Hope you guys enjoy as I enjoyed raising these newts for the second time in my life.:D
 

Azhael

Site Contributor
Joined
May 7, 2007
Messages
6,645
Reaction score
103
Location
Burgos
Lovely pictures, particularly the last three, very nice indeed.
Thanx for sharing, Jorge.
 

Otterwoman

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Dec 13, 2006
Messages
6,617
Reaction score
102
Location
Wappingers Falls, NY
They blend so well into the environment, it really makes me wonder what is the purpose of the red stripe. It only draws attention to them.
 

Azhael

Site Contributor
Joined
May 7, 2007
Messages
6,645
Reaction score
103
Location
Burgos
I´ve considered that, Dawn and i came up with a couple of possibilities.
First one is that it´s simply there for aposematic reasons, after all the animal has toxins but unlike other Triturus doesn´t have an aposematic belly. Therefore it develops a more brilliantly colored dorsal line than the rest.
Given that juveniles are very gregarious, it could also be for disruptive purposes (the bodies blend together and all you get is a confusing mess of orange lines).
I even imagined that it could be mimetism with the orangy filaments of the sporophytes of certain mosses xD

In reality...who knows, but this species sure is gorgeous :D
 

eljorgo

Banned
Joined
Aug 9, 2008
Messages
799
Reaction score
19
Location
ovos moles
Thank you all for the kind comments

Rodrigo very nice question.... Why a orange stripe... Well even asking myself i cant come up with ideas like you did, but i liked the idea of they getting at together and all the group look like a mess of orange filaments. But surely it might be by some aposematic reason...

Off course marbled newts are gorgeous!!
cheers,
Jorge
 

huug

Member
Joined
May 7, 2007
Messages
72
Reaction score
6
Location
Overijssel
Jorge,...

You made some great pics, i am not only jealous on your marms but allso on your camera! :D

I especially love the lower pics of the larvae on white gravel, fantastic!
Great colors and patterns, good luck raising them!;)
 

Molch

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 28, 2010
Messages
1,385
Reaction score
36
They blend so well into the environment, it really makes me wonder what is the purpose of the red stripe. It only draws attention to them.

I've always wondered this, too, until I saw them on top of this wad of moss: The orange stripe perfectly blends with the orange stems of the mosses. Great camouflage :)
 

Attachments

  • IMG_6735.jpg
    IMG_6735.jpg
    353 KB · Views: 325
General chit-chat
Help Users
  • No one is chatting at the moment.
    There are no messages in the chat. Be the first one to say Hi!
    Top