Development and individual identification of captive Ziegler’s crocodile newt Tylototriton ziegleri

Abstract

Tylototriton ziegleri is a newt native to Vietnam with a very limited range and assessed as Vulnerable by the IUCN. It is rarely found in captivity. Larval husbandry, based on field conditions, had mixed success with a high proportion of egg hatch and relatively rapid larval growth rates but also substantial larval mortality, probably due to high stocking density. Larvae started to hatch after 23 days and after 77-79 days had metamorphosed at a mean mass of 1.6 g; juveniles grew at an average of about 0.3 g/month. The primary animal carer was able to use wart patterns to distinguish between four individuals but scope for use on a larger scale was not supported when tested using computer-assisted individual identification software (WildID) or expert observers.