what on earth this?

[Gill Catton]

Ok. So we're currently calling him Axl the Axolittle because he looks alot like and axolotyl but it's the size of a smooth newt.....
Any Ideas? caught (and returned to) a pond in Kent.......

[eeyore]

Perhaps you should have hung on to it incase its a weird alien thing, it looks as though it comes from outer space - did you see the film "evolution", I'd lay in some head and shoulders just in case if i were you

I'll ask our conservation manager tommorow if he has any idea, but if you don't know i would think the chances are slim.

[Gill Catton]

Originally Posted by eeyore

Perhaps you should have hung on to it incase its a weird alien thing, it looks as though it comes from outer space - did you see the film "evolution", I'd lay in some head and shoulders just in case if i were you

I'll ask our conservation manager tommorow if he has any idea, but if you don't know i would think the chances are slim.

Hmmmmm Ordinarily I'd have agreed with you. However, in this pond and every other pond on the site are loads of both marsh Frogs and Bullfrogs....... the amphibian horse has definatly bolted from the stable in that area I can tell you! The pond was still bursting with life though, no fish so there were just tons of inverterates including these water stick insect dudes

[Wild-Woman]

Blimey. A giant albino newt in neoteny condition????ww

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by Gill Catton

Hmmmmm Ordinarily I'd have agreed with you. However, in this pond and every other pond on the site are loads of both marsh Frogs and Bullfrogs....... the amphibian horse has definatly bolted from the stable in that area I can tell you! The pond was still bursting with life though, no fish so there were just tons of inverterates including these water stick insect dudes

he only preys on unsuspecting field surveyors in the dead of night after lulling them into thinking hes sooo cute - its our DNA hes after

do you get amphibious horses down your way then - is that like a sea horse but in fresh water ????

[Gill Catton]

Originally Posted by Wild-Woman

Blimey. A giant albino newt in neoteny condition????ww

THAT'S the word!!! I remember someone telling me about newts that don't properly fully mature I knew it was neo something!! I shall go for a google see if I can come up with a pic like it!

[paulthomas]

Originally Posted by Gill Catton

Ok. So we're currently calling him Axl the Axolittle because he looks alot like and axolotyl but it's the size of a smooth newt.....
Any Ideas? caught (and returned to) a pond in Kent.......

It looks like a juvenile newt to me (I think they're sometimes caled newtlets or efts). The gills will be absorbed before it leaves the water.

[Gill Catton]

Originally Posted by eeyore

he only preys on unsuspecting field surveyors in the dead of night after lulling them into thinking hes sooo cute - its our DNA hes after

do you get amphibious horses down your way then - is that like a sea horse but in fresh water ????

NO it's like a normal horse but with webbed hooves and a snorkle.....

[eeyore]

look here gill http://www.btinternet.com/~andyharmer/latest.htm its a neotenious smooth newt pic is a dead ringer .

[Gill Catton]

Originally Posted by paulthomas

It looks like a juvenile newt to me (I think they're sometimes caled newtlets or efts). The gills will be absorbed before it leaves the water.

There were plently of other newt larvae in the pond but this particular animal was the same size as the adults where as all the rest we were finding were much smaller. I think wild woman may be right about it being a neotenous newt having done a search for other pics. Such a weird beastie!!