Common Mudpuppy

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PA’s Amphibian and Reptile Coloring Series Common Mudpuppy All About Me: Hi! I am a Mudpuppy. Only one other salamander in Pennsylvania, the Hellbender, grows larger than we do. As an adult, we reach an impressive 8 to 13 inches long. We are permanent larvae, using external gills our entire lives. We are thoroughly aquatic and nocturnal, although we may be active even during the day in muddy or turbid water. Our most striking characteristic are the large, feathery red gills billowing out from behind each side of our heads. Our legs are short but strong. Our tails are shaped like a rudder. Our tail fins are occasionally tinted with orange or reddish pigments. Our small eyes have no eyelids. We have four toes on the front and hind feet. We are gray to rusty brown on our backs with dark blue-black spots. Our spots have irregular edges and are separated from one another. Our pale bellies are usually gray and accented with dark spots. A dark stripe runs through each eye. Fifteen or 16 costal grooves mark each of our sides. In Pennsylvania, we appear primarily in the Ohio River and Lake Erie watersheds, both part of our original range. We are found in lakes, rivers and streams. Although we prefer clear, swift water, we can be found in waters ranging from shallow, muddy, ponds with thick stands of aquatic plants to cool, clear, deep pools and lakes. We like to spend our days hidden beneath underwater structures, venturing out at night in search of prey. We feed on just about any aquatic animal we can capture. Crayfish are a favorite food, but worms, insects, small fish, and fish eggs mix up our diet. www.fishandboat.com .

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Pond-Breeding Amphibian Guild
Supplemental Volume: Species of Conservation Concern SC SWAP 2015 Pond-breeding Amphibians Guild Primary Species: Flatwoods Salamander Ambystoma cingulatum Carolina Gopher Frog Rana capito capito Broad-Striped Dwarf Siren Pseudobranchus striatus striatus Tiger Salamander Ambystoma tigrinum Secondary Species: Upland Chorus Frog Pseudacris feriarum -Coastal Plain only Northern Cricket Frog Acris crepitans -Coastal Plain only Contributors (2005): Stephen Bennett and Kurt A. Buhlmann [SCDNR] Reviewed and Edited (2012): Stephen Bennett (SCDNR), Kurt A. Buhlmann (SREL), and Jeff Camper (Francis Marion University) DESCRIPTION Taxonomy and Basic Descriptions This guild contains 4 primary species: the flatwoods salamander, Carolina gopher frog, dwarf siren, and tiger salamander; and 2 secondary species: upland chorus frog and northern cricket frog. Primary species are high priority species that are directly tied to a unifying feature or habitat. Secondary species are priority species that may occur in, or be related to, the unifying feature at some time in their life. The flatwoods salamander—in particular, the frosted flatwoods salamander— and tiger salamander are members of the family Ambystomatidae, the mole salamanders. Both species are large; the tiger salamander is the largest terrestrial salamander in the eastern United States. The Photo by SC DNR flatwoods salamander can reach lengths of 9 to 12 cm (3.5 to 4.7 in.) as an adult. This species is dark, ranging from black to dark brown with silver-white reticulated markings (Conant and Collins 1991; Martof et al. 1980). The tiger salamander can reach lengths of 18 to 20 cm (7.1 to 7.9 in.) as an adult; maximum size is approximately 30 cm (11.8 in.).
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2017 Hellbender Symposium Agenda
Mississippi Museum of Natural Science 2148 Riverside Drive, Jackson, Mississippi June 19-21, 2017 Page 1 Artwork for the symposium logo was kindly provided by the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science’s in-house artist, Sam Beibers. You are welcome to use this illustration as long as it is not used for resale in any capacity. Please credit its use with the following: "Illustration: Sam Beibers". IF you need illustrations for any of your own projects, you may contact Sam at 601-826-9256 or [email protected]. In this illustration, Sam Beibers wanted to take a "color challenged" animal in situ and push those colors brighter than they normally would be. "I wanted the hellbender to have something of a regal look. Afterall, they are 'superstars' to many of us in the scientific community." The final illustration was painted in watercolor on thin, clay-coated bristol board. As the paint dries on a smooth surface that is not very porous, the paint tends to "sit" on the surface instead of soaking in. Therefore it often dries in visible puddles. Pencil was used to add some detail and emphasize some areas of shade. Beibers grew up in rural northwest Mississippi. Like most boys, he enjoyed catching tadpoles, building huts, and swinging on grapevines. After one miserable year of wildlife biology studies at junior college, he changed his major to art and has since gone on to paint and draw hundreds of flora and fauna illustrations, as well as landscapes, cityscapes, and portraits. He received his MA at Mississippi College. Page 2 The following sponsors (and/or representatives from these institutions) helped make this symposium a success.
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