Texas Blind Salamanders: This is what a childhood ghost looks like. These animals remain in the larval stage for life. But how do you reproduce? (9 photos)

Childhood, childhood, where have you gone? Where did you find a cozy corner? So here well, in Texas! One has only to go underground, plunge into the underground waters of karst caves, where eternal darkness and cold reigns... There, in the dead silence, inhabited by pale ghosts of childhood - Texas blind salamanders, who are never destined to grow up and see the white light.





Scientists have discovered and described these salamanders in 1895, but a detailed study of mole rats in the wild nature has not been carried out so far - it is too inaccessible for them habitat. It's not a problem to get to Texas but to descend into the flooded bowels of the earth along with everything necessary equipment, lighting and group researchers is already a problem. So the lion's share of all knowledge about these ghostly creatures were harvested in captivity.



Salamanders were collected in the caves of the Balcons Fault - ancient evidence of the collision of the continents. Now this area known for its beautiful above- and underground relief, pure artesian water and specific species, such as blind amphibians.



No one knows exactly when the metamorphoses of these creatures and how long it took to change them. Thin stick-legs support a long, almost transparent body with blood-red gills. spade muzzle, on which not only there are no emotions, but the eyes themselves overgrown with skin - in a place where there is no light, look out for someone without needs.



But the salamanders lost more than just their eyesight. They lost the ability to become adults. Generally, so and people have it, but in a figurative sense. But Texas mole rats can't experience the "joys" of a mortgage and existential crisis purely physically. Gets reasonable question: how is it ... to continue the race? Very simple! The fact, the salamander larva is a neotenic form. This form is in which the animal is able to experience all adult joys, staying in the child's body. It's as if the tadpole remains tadpole forever.



So, many species of salamanders are able to swim as a larva for years. In adults, the environment makes them turn into Wednesday - if there is no food left in the native lake, or if the reservoir is completely dry, amphibians have to grow legs and stomp to more suitable places to survive. Texas salamanders are lucky - their conditions are ideal, which means that And they don't need to grow up!



Despite all its seeming helplessness, mole rats are active predators and the main carnivores of the cave ecosystems. In search of food, they turn their heads to catch the slightest fluctuation of standing water. Salamanders hunt snails shrimps and amphipods. Their amphibian sucks wide mouth - and unlike the eyes, the teeth of the Texas enough salamanders.

There is only one problem: the salamander has adapted to ideal conditions so that it can no longer survive in non-ideal conditions. The slightest change in normal temperature by a few degrees or fluctuations in the concentration of the chemical composition of water immediately lead to the extinction of the species. That is why mole rats are alive indicator of pollution, and if the population suffers, this is the first wake-up call for environmentalists.



But unlike other Red Book species the future of the salamanders is not so alarming - some of these creatures are raised in captivity. Mainly, of course, for sciences - scientists study the species itself, their unusual adaptations to life in complete darkness and the ability to regeneration. But in emergencies and under threat extinction, laboratory amphibians will be able to replenish the wild population salamander.



By the way, about the replenishment of the population. The breeding season is over mole rats all year round. The main problem in this matter is search for a partner. There is no Tinder underwater, just like there is no light. That's why in a partner, salamanders value not appearance, but smell, dissolved in water.

Another feature of mating games is that in active only females are found. Mating initiative and main part of the courtship, if you can call it that, also comes from from the ladies: first they rub their faces against the male, what if the peasant is caught inactive, then they bite and push their feet chosen one. Moreover, most often, females make a choice in favor of already busy males. In this case, the opponents can behave much more aggressive towards each other and to the unlucky male.



After fertilization, the female lays 8 to 35 colorless eggs, of which a couple of weeks, small larvae will hatch. Juveniles will grow slowly on a meager diet of caves up to 13 centimeters, while will not be able to continue their race. Yes, wandering in the darkness of the Texas depths, they will live for a long 11 years.