Snot otters, lasagna lizards, devil dogs, mud devils... 🦎 These fantastic beasts have many nicknames. What other nicknames should they be called? The largest salamander in North America by weight, otherwise known as the hellbender, is an unforgettable species, to say the least. These amphibians are elusive, spending most of their time hiding under rocks watching for prey, with a large diet of crayfish. Hellbenders eat a variety of prey, including crayfish, fish, insects, worms, snails, tadpoles, and even other hellbenders. Another crazy feature of these carnivorous amphibians is they have lungs, but absorb up to 95 percent of their oxygen through their skin, primarily through its folds and wrinkles. #wildlife #nature #hellbender #salamander #funfacts
They live in my creek. They are so cool
I❤️mud puppies!
Clinical Research, Laboratory sciences, Academia and Government experience. Experiences with a diverse range of skill sets come through a variety of sources: education, training’s, skilled develop. training, & my life.
2wWhen I was a kid we had a set of small “mud puppies” in a huge tank and I absolutely loved them! Well, one day, I was hovering around the tank and one decided to make its way up to likely get some air atop the rock. I had duty to help clean the tank. All I remember at the moment was being a little nervous about the the sound and the large mouth facing me, I thought it was for sure the devil coming out! It looked like a dragon perched up there to me with some hissing or wheezing sounds - idk which, I was so young. I just remember mom cleaning the tank alone that day while I assisted rather than my hands going into the water. 😂 Although, these weren’t hellbenders I know, this post made me think of that time. I still don’t know a lot about these guys so if anyone has som interesting facts about aquatic salamanders I would love to know more.