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For herpetology class, we had to design an amphibian based on all these taxonomic criteria and stuff. It was a fun little project to break up all the grueling taxonomic reviews we do. My little guy is a Cryptobranchid. Cryptobranchus niteophasma, to be exact. These guys live in the typical, cold-water riparian habitats necessary for supporting Cryptobranchids and epitoky annually. Males court females using the photophores on the tips of the fleshy papilla coming off their backs.
Category Artwork (Traditional) / Animal related (non-anthro)
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 924 x 1280px
File Size 297.7 kB
The "braided" papilla found on many older specimens is still a mystery to biologists, as it is yet unknown how this phenomenon occurs. Prevailing theory is that this is merely a naturally-occurring hazard of living in their aquatic environment, though there is a new theory that is gaining traction that suggests that these braids are actually a form of courtship. Evidence for this theory is numerous, including that braids almost always are found on males, and the larger and more successful a male is in finding food and territory, the more braids that are found on the individual. However, this still does not explain how they acquire braids, a question that scientists hope to answer one day.
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