Looks all over pink, not aggressive, half palm size... On the evening of May 24, Zhao Li, director of the Huaxi Entomological Museum, found this "most cute aquarium pet", a Mexican blunt salamander native to Mexico, in an ancient well behind the Main Hall of Tianshi Cave on Qingcheng Mountain, which is now widely present in the pet market.
Unexpectedly, the seemingly innocent Mexican blunt-mouthed salamander may become the top predator in the local water body. "At this time of year, there are a lot of native frog tadpoles in that ancient well, but when I went to see it yesterday, there wasn't a single tadpole. It had swept away the tadpoles inside. Zhao Li said.
Mexican blunt salamander found on Mount Qingcheng
Event | Mount Qingcheng found Mexican blunt-mouthed salamanders as pet fish
On the evening of May 24, Zhao Li, director of the Huaxi Insect Museum, caught an all-over pink-white creature in an ancient well behind the Tianshi Cave Hall on Mount Qingcheng: it looked a bit like a pink baby fish, half the size of a palm, and not aggressive.
Zhao Li introduced that this is the Mexican blunt salamander listed in the "International Union for Conservation of Nature" (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species - Critically Endangered (CR), the type of pet market. "The Mexican blunt-mouthed salamander is a critically endangered species in the wild of origin, but it is now widely kept as a pet in the world and is also widely popular in the country." The wild Mexican blunt-mouthed salamander is found in only one lake in Mexico and is usually seen with pet fish.
In the pet market, the Mexican blunt-mouthed salamander is also known as the hexagonal dinosaur. With its cute pink and white appearance, it enjoys the title of "the most cute aquarium pet in history". Red Star News reporters found that such Mexican blunt salamanders are easy to buy in the pet market, and the price is also very cheap, less than 20 yuan per one.
Threats | Eating native frog tadpoles will have an ecological impact
Zhao Li introduced that it is the largest member of the genus Ambulatory Salamander, the largest body length in the specimen is more than 43 cm, but the typical adult length is between 20-28 cm, the male weighs 125-130 g, and the female weighs 170-180 g.
There are two Mexican blunt-mouthed salamanders found by Zhao Li this time, and it is speculated that they are only a few months old. "This breed is sexually mature at 12 to 18 months, and females have fertility to lay up to 400 eggs per season, with an average of 175-200 eggs." Zhao Li revealed.
"Don't look at its innocent and cute appearance, but if it is released in the wild, it is actually a threat to native species." Zhao Li introduced.
"The most suitable temperature for this animal is 17 to more than 20 ° C, so the water temperature near Tianshi Cave is actually very suitable for its survival." Zhao Li said that the wild adults of the Mexican blunt-mouthed salamander usually inhabit moist environments, burrow, and only return to the stream during the breeding period to lay eggs. Feeds on arthropods, snails, small fish, tadpoles and young frogs.
"At this time of year, there are a lot of native frog tadpoles in that ancient well, but when I went to see it yesterday, there wasn't a single tadpole. It had swept away the tadpoles inside. Zhao Li said.
The Mexican blunt-mouthed salamander is a threat to native species living in Mount Qingcheng
The first victim was the Emei tree frog, a native frog first found in Mount Emei and widely distributed in the mountains of Sichuan. This season is the breeding season of the Emei tree frog, but the Emei tree frog tadpole in the ancient well has entered the stomach of the Mexican blunt salamander. "In Mount Qingcheng, the Mexican blunt-mouthed salamander is estimated to be difficult to encounter natural enemies, and if it breeds in the wild, it will certainly be a threat to native species." Zhao Li revealed.
"At present, only this one place has been found, and the reproduction of Emei tree frogs in other places is still normal, and there is no big impact on the local ecology, but if this thing spreads, it will definitely have an impact." Zhao Li revealed that because the well is often full of water in the summer, it has the opportunity to climb out, "for now, it can't climb out, because the water is still some distance away from the edge of the well." ”
What is more troublesome is that such a Mexican blunt salamander is both a big stomach king and more resistant to hunger, "there is no fish in the water of Qingcheng Mountain that can eat it, and the fish in the mountain stream are very small, and there is no one who can eat it." Once rooted, it is the top predator in the local water body. ”
Analyze | Someone might release it and suggest that someone take it away
Why does the Mexican blunt-mouthed salamander appear in Chengdu's Qingcheng Mountain? Zhao Li speculated that the possibility of someone being released was relatively large.
"Albino individuals only appear under artificially bred conditions, so this is obviously a cultivated pet species." Zhao Li judged, "The biggest possibility of this is that someone was released to Mount Qingcheng in order to accumulate virtue for good deeds." But this kind of behavior actually destroys the local ecology, not does good. ”
At present, two Mexican blunt-mouthed salamanders have been released back into the original position of the ancient well, "it is recommended that those who are interested in raising them, fish them out." ”
Zhao Li suggested that if the domestic mexican blunt salamander is raised to the back and does not want to raise, you can send friends, but do not release alien species into the local wild environment, otherwise it will often "do bad things with good intentions". These alien species can have an impact on the original species and ecology in the river.
Red Star News reporter Hu Ting Yan Xue Pictures and videos are provided by Zhao Li
Edited by Yu Manga
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