Hellbender

Mud Devil ( Cryptobranchus alleganiensis )

The mud Devil ( Cryptobranchus alleganiensis ) is the only kind of so monotypic genus of the American giant salamander ( Cryptobranchus ). He lives in large rivers with stony ground.

Features

Mud devil as their Asian relatives, the Asiatic giant salamanders of the genus Andrias, a very flat body and head and short legs. The tail is keeled to stabilize the animal in the water and to help him during locomotion. At the front legs have four, the hind legs have five toes. Although the mud devil breathes through lungs, he has on both sides of the neck depending a gill slit, which is designed as a fleshy fold. The females reach body lengths of about 70 cm, the males of 55 centimeters; the longest known animal was about 75 inches long. In this case, they have a weight of 1.5 to 2.5 kg.

Dissemination

Cryptobranchus alleganiensis occurs in the eastern and central United States. The eastern subspecies C. a alleganiensis lives in the south and southwest of the State of New York, in southern Illinois, the Northeast Mississippi and in the north by Alabama and Georgia, a disjunct population lives in the East Zentralmissouris. The subspecies C. a bishopi can be found in two populations in southeastern Missouri and Arkansas.

Way of life

Mud devil live fully aquatic and are nocturnal. The males occupy and defend breeding territories. The females of the mud devil lay between 200 and 500 eggs after mating season in August to September. These eggs are laid in a nest under a stone, built by the male, and is guarded by this until hatching of the young animals after about two to three months.

Etymology

The name " mud devil " (English " Hellbender " ) for Cryptobranchus alleganiensis comes from German -born American emigrants. If the animals are attacked in their clear waters with rods, they make fierce resistance and stir up mud on. Furthermore, next to the name Hellbender local names like " snot otter " and " devil dog " in use. In the language of the Indians, however, the animals are called " water dogs".

Endangering

In Illinois, Indiana, Maryland and Ohio, the sludge Teufel is an endangered species in Georgia, New York, North Carolina and Virginia as rare. IUCN, the species is classified as " Near Threatened ", since a decline in populations is recorded.