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Vernacular Name Eastern Hellbender (Aka: Hellbender Salamander)

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Vernacular Name Eastern Hellbender (Aka: Hellbender Salamander) 1/4 Vernacular Name Eastern Hellbender (aka: hellbender salamander) GEOGRAPHIC RANGE Confined strictly to the Appalachian Mountains of North America. The northernmost extent of the range is southwest New York and the range continues into northern Georgia and Alabama. HABITAT Completely aquatic salamanders that live in freshwater streams with large flat rocks at the bottom. CONSERVATION STATUS IUCN status: Near Threatened (2016). Widespread habitat loss through much of its range. COOL FACTS Hellbenders are the largest aquatic, freshwater salamanders in North America. Freshwater streams appropriate for hellbenders are between 48 0 and 72 0 F and are free- flowing to provide more dissolved oxygen and prey. Stream substrates are gravel, as opposed to mud, which gives larval hellbenders more protection from predators. The Missouri Department of Conservation says: The name 'hellbender' probably comes from the animal's odd look. One theory claims the hellbender was named by settlers who thought "it was a creature from hell where it's bent on returning." Another rendition says the undulating skin of a hellbender reminded observers of "horrible tortures of the infernal regions." In reality, it's a harmless aquatic salamander. DIET In the wild: primarily eat crayfish as adults, but will eat insects, fish, and smaller salamanders as well. In captivity: Hellbender, Eastern 2/4 MEDIAN LIFE EXPECTANCY Male: N/A. Female: N/A. ENEMIES – DEFENSE Enemies: The major predators on larva are large fish and adult hellbenders. Adult hellbenders are preyed on by other hellbenders and large fish . Defense: Hellbenders use large rocks, logs, and even some manmade objects to hide under during the day avoiding predation. They can escape more readily using the propulsion of their powerful tail and can secrete irritants from the pores in the skin if disturbed. MATING - CARE OF THE YOUNG Hellbenders reproduce yearly, from mid-September to mid-October. Clutch. The number of eggs produced by the female is from 150-450. Males fertilize eggs externally. Maturation Period: for the eggs is from 45-80 days. Larvae are immediately independent to prevent being preyed on by the male parent hellbender. Maturity: between 5-8 years of age. Sexual Maturity: males 5-8 years; females 6-8 years. Males reach maturity slightly faster and at a smaller size due to the higher energetic needs of females associated with reproduction. Parental Care. The only period of parental involvement is displayed by the male after the eggs are fertilized. Males occupy the burrow that the eggs were laid in to provide protection. If any other hellbender attempts to enter the burrow the male will become very aggressive to defend the fertilized eggs. The male also provides a higher oxygenated environment due to the skin folds on his sides jostling the eggs to bring oxygenated water near them. There is no parental care provided to larvae after hatching . SOCIAL INTERACTION They are solitary and become aggressive if another hellbender enters their territory, except during breeding season. Territorial: Hellbenders center their territory near the rock that it uses as shelter during the day. Average area is 405 sq. yds. Communication: They only communicate with other hellbenders during breeding season. They use pheromones to communicate the intent to breed as well as physical motions to signal that they are ready to participate in reproduction. LIFE STYLE Activity Period: nocturnal. During the day, hellbenders burrow under large flat rocks at the bottom of streams. Hellbenders stay at depths between 0.5’ - 1.8’ below the surface. PHYSICAL General Description: a large, flat-bodied salamander. Sexual Dimorphism/Dichromatism: none. Size: length: 11.6” - 27” (avg. 17”-18”); weight 14.27 - 35.59 oz. Hellbender, Eastern 3/4 Color: deep brown or black skin with occasional dark orange spots found on either the top of the back or along the underside. The ventral body is lighter. Rarely, individuals display an albino and red variant. Body: flat with loose folds of skin that increase skin surface area for cutaneous respiration, which is vital for extraction of oxygen from their freshwater habitats. Head: very flat and broad with a short nose and, unlike other aquatic salamanders, they lack eyelids and feathered gill slits. Sensory Organs: - Eyes: lidless, but the eyes are poor at forming images. They rely on the lateral line system as well as the sense of smell to compensate for poor eyesight - Olfactory: Hellbenders have an olfactory canal located in the snout known as the Jacobson's organ, which is used to interpret chemical signals. Hellbenders also use a lateral line system of sensory receptors to detect stimuli from the water. These receptors allow for the interpretation of light detection, water pressure, and vibrations from movement that is occurring around them in the water. Arms and legs: small and stubby. Fingers: 5 digits on each of the back feet and 4 digits on the front. All digits have webbed skin between them. Tail: very muscular and used as the main source of propulsion. TAXONOMY Phylum Animalia Class Chordata Order Amphibia Family Urodela Genus / species REFERENCES - Pike, Z. 2015. "Cryptobranchus alleganiensis" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed June 22, 2016 at http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Cryptobranchus_alleganiensis/ - Geoffrey Hammerson, Christopher Phillips. 2004. Cryptobranchus alleganiensis . The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2004: e.T59077A11879843. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2004.RLTS.T59077A11879843.en. Downloaded on 22 June 2016. - Eastern hellbender: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellbender. Prepared by: Dave Schaffer, docent Date: 06-22-16 Photo by: Ryan Somma at Wikimedia Commons Map by: Dave Schaffer & Bob Sloane, docents Approved by: Date: Reformatted by: Date: Hellbender, Eastern 4/4 This page intentionally left blank. .
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