Abstract
The effect of food level on growth and metamorphosis of paedomorphs was examined in an experimental replicated design in Triturus alpestris apuanus. Paedomorphosis concerns the retention of larval characteristics in adult individuals. Newts that forgo metamorphosis and then retain gill and gill slits in the adult stage maintain an aquatic life but keep potential for undergoing metamorphosis. Paedomorphs metamorphosed later in treatments with food as a non-limiting factor than in stressful treatments where food was limited. Timing of metamorphosis did not differ between males and females. Food level greatly affected growth rates. These results confirm and extend optimality models that predict paedomorphosis under advantageous aquatic conditions (paedomorph advantage hypothesis) and metamorphosis in stressful aquatic habitats.
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