THE MINNESOTA HERPETOLOGICAL SOCIETY May 2000 Newsletter
Upcoming Meeting The Vice-president's Report By Tony Gamble June General Meeting Program: "Axolotls and the Indiana University Axolotl Colony"
Guest Speaker. Sandra Borland The axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) is a large salamander that spends its entire life underwater and lives only in Lake Xochimilco in the mountains, southeast of Mexico City. The axolotl is closely related to our native tiger salamanders (Ambystoma tigrinum) and superficially resemble the tiger salamander's larval stage. What makes axolotls unique, though, is the inability to metamorphose into the adult terrestrial form, a trait termed neotony. The exact meaning of the name HaxolotJu is the source of debate among
herpetologists. Hobart Smith claims it is the Aztec word for !!water dog". Others feel it is derived from the Aztec god of ball-playing and the protector of twins, Xolotl. Regardless of its precise meaning, the axolotl has intrigued both scientists and locals for decades. The very idea of a salamander that spends its whole live in its larval form and even reproduces in the 'Juvenile" stage has led to intense research and as a result they are one of the most thoroughly studied amphibian species. In fact axolotls have been kept and bred in captivity since the 1860s!
Volume 20 Number 5
Our June speaker, Sandra Borland, is curator of the Indiana University Axolotl Colony, a self-sustaining, breeding colony ofaxolotls supported by the National Science Foundation. The Axolotl Colony is a genetic stock center dedicated to supplying laboratories and classrooms throughout the world genetically wellcharacterized axolotl embryos, larvae,
and adults. Her talk will touch on every aspect of the axolotl including natural history, captive care, and current research. She
will also discuss her job as curator of the colony at Indiana University. Upcoming Meetings: July 7,
2000 - John Hogston
IIMonitor Lizards: An Overview of
Varanids of the World" Aug4,2000-TBA Sept 8, 2000 - Dr. Fred Janzen "Sexdetermining Mechanisms in Reptiles" Oct 6, 2000 - Dr. Robert Powell l1Advenhlres
in
the
Caribbean:
Herpetology On Tropical Islands." Nov 3,
2000 -
HBreeding Rare Geckos"
Phil
Tremper
The 1,()()()th TortoiseA Milestone in Galapagos Repahiation Program On March 24, 2000 a very important event took place in Puerto Ayora on the island of Santa Cruz in Galapagos. The 1,()(J()!h tortoise was repatriated to its native island of Espanola marking a milestone for the tortoise breeding program of the Charles Darwin Research Station (CDRS) and the Galapagos National Park.
In 1965, the CDRS established the Reptile Rearing Center to prevent the extinction of tortoise races in various
islands caused by the menace of introduced species and humans. Between 1965 and 1974, 14 tortoises were found (12 females and 2 males) in the island of Espanola and were transferred to the Breeding Center in Santa Cruz. In 1971, the first baby tortoises were hatched and were repatriated in 1975. In 1977 an adult male was returned to the Breeding Center from the San Diego Zoo increasing the number of breeding males to three. Galapagos is home to an astonishing array of unique and endemic flora and fauna, and is a very small but valuable jewel in the biodiversity crown. Thanks to the collaboration between the Galapagos National Park and CDRS, the giant tortoise conservation program, and others like it, have not only been pOSSible, but have exceeded all expectations. We are grateful to the international community of donors and supporters who have all helped to make this work possible.
OJarles Darwin Foundation 1000 n. Washington St. Suite 232 Falls OJuTch, VA. 22046 Email: info@galapagos.org