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White tadpole

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fridgemouse View Drop Down
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    Posted: 16 Oct 2012 at 3:30pm

Hi,

Not sure if you can help with this?

In a small pond in our garden we have a large white tadpole, it has no legs and has left behind by all the normal black tadpoles after they grew legs and hopped it. (pardon the pun)

Is it normal for this to happen?

Will it over winter?

Any advice and information would be useful.

Fridgemouse
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will View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote will Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Oct 2012 at 8:04am
Hi, sounds very interesting - would be great to have a photo for a positive ID.  Albino frog and toad tadpoles do exist, though rare.  If it is one of these, it's unlikely to survive the winter I think, though newt tadpoles regularly overwinter without any problems.

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AGILIS View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AGILIS Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Oct 2012 at 8:33am
I REMEMBER seeing these large freaky genetic tadpoles that never turned into frogs years ago in a pond at the end of Walthamstow LMS station that had one of the biggest frog populations in the area alas development put a stop to something that existed for years keith
   LOCAL ICYNICAL CELTIC ECO WARRIOR AND FAILED DRUID
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fridgemouse View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote fridgemouse Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Oct 2012 at 9:35am
Hi Will,
I am a bit new to all this and can't seem to be able to attach a photo.If you are allowed to post your email address I will send it to you.
Fridgemouse
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will View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote will Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Oct 2012 at 5:54pm
Hi Fridgemouse

If you go to the icons above the reply box and hit the one with an arrow you may be able to follow the instructions to upload a pic but feel free to email at 'lehartrust@hotmail.com' and I will do my best to ID it and also I can post it on behalf of you here, too - thanks!
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will View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote will Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Oct 2012 at 8:49am
Hi All

below are three photos of the white tadpole sent to me by Fridgemouse; I have tentatively ID'd it as a hypomelanistic common frog tadpole, but I am probably wrong!  Also advised that the tadpole will probably not make it over the winter in the pond, so could be reared in a tank indoors, but then there's the problem of feeding a froglet on fruit flies, hatchling crickets til the spring!  anyway, see what you all make of the pics:







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Caleb View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Caleb Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Oct 2012 at 10:04am
Possibly neoteny and melanin deficiency caused by pineal gland damage (similar to that occasionally seen in newts)? It would never metamorphose at all if this is the case.

It's not unheard of for frog tadpoles to overwinter and metamorphose in the spring, they'll just tick over as large tadpoles till the weather warms up again.
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