Nowicki418
New member
Wow, finally. I've been researching this for months and I think Caudata.org may finally have the experts I've been looking for!
For an independent study in High school I really want to do an experiment on neoteny in larval tiger salamanders (Ambystoma tigrinum tigrinum). I will get the larvae from a pair I am in the process of breeding.
Although I may end up just doing an activity on causing a temporary state of neoteny, My real goal is to raise sexually mature neotenic adults ( which could be easily bred ). The experiment is still under work but here is the basics of what I am planning.
My new lead is to inhibit the interpretation of thyroxin and other important hormones. I believe prolactin is a hormone that counters the effects of thyroid hormones. But how would I increase prolactin levels? What other side effects could this cause?
One of the things I fear is that I will have to continue giving the salamanders a special treatment for there entire lives or they would transform. Perhaps by breeding these sustained neotenes I could breed them many many times until a gene for permanent neoteny is isolated. They are closly related to A. mexicanum after all!
It is possible, but not necessarily easy. Despite becoming a senior in high school and being new to this website I really know my stuff. But digging for information through the internet and college textbooks can be slow work.
For an independent study in High school I really want to do an experiment on neoteny in larval tiger salamanders (Ambystoma tigrinum tigrinum). I will get the larvae from a pair I am in the process of breeding.
Although I may end up just doing an activity on causing a temporary state of neoteny, My real goal is to raise sexually mature neotenic adults ( which could be easily bred ). The experiment is still under work but here is the basics of what I am planning.
- Three different 20 gallon tanks
- Each tank holds four larval salamanders ( the age in which the larvae will be separated for this experiment is to be determined )
- Each tank receives an activated carbon filter to remove iodine from the water
- Each tank is equipped with a water chiller and maintained at 10 degrees Celsius.
- One tank acts as a control group
- The other two receive a different amount of a hormonal influencing treatment.
My new lead is to inhibit the interpretation of thyroxin and other important hormones. I believe prolactin is a hormone that counters the effects of thyroid hormones. But how would I increase prolactin levels? What other side effects could this cause?
One of the things I fear is that I will have to continue giving the salamanders a special treatment for there entire lives or they would transform. Perhaps by breeding these sustained neotenes I could breed them many many times until a gene for permanent neoteny is isolated. They are closly related to A. mexicanum after all!
It is possible, but not necessarily easy. Despite becoming a senior in high school and being new to this website I really know my stuff. But digging for information through the internet and college textbooks can be slow work.