those funky little salamanders!

[warrena at bcc.orst.edu]

Sorry, I totally messed up the details in my earlier 
post.  According to Behler & King (1979), The Audobon 
Society Field Guide to North American Reptiles and 
Amphibians, pp. 291-292:

"In the past, Jefferson [Amblystoma jeffersonianum] and 
Blue-spotted [Amblystoma laterale] salamanders 
interbred and created two hybrid all-female species - 
the Silvery (Amblystoma platineum) and Tremblay's 
(Amblystoma tremblayi). Jefferson males breed with 
Silvery Females.  The male's sperm only stimulates egg 
development; its genetic material is not 
contributed....  Blue Spotted males breed with 
Tremblay's females.  The male's sperm only stimulates 
egg development; its genetic material is not 
contributed."  

Now how wierd is this?  Think about the taxonomy of the 
Jefferson and Tremblay's salamanders (ie. are these 
species?) under various species concepts and it could 
make your brain hurt...

Andy Warren





 
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