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It is the largest salamander in North America. A member of the family Cryptobranchidae, the hellbender is the only extant member of the genus Cryptobranchus. Other closely related salamanders in the same family are in the genus Andrias, which contains the Japanese and Chinese giant salamanders.
With their flattened head and body, four short, stout legs, long rudder-like tail and very small beady eyes, they are well adapted to their swift, flowing stream habitats. Hellbenders retain a few juvenile traits as adults, such as an absence of eyelids and open gill slits.
The hellbender—sometimes called a “snot otter”—is a large, fully-aquatic amphibian with a flat head, wrinkled body, and paddle-shaped tail. Its body is usually dark gray or brown with irregular dark spots along the back.
Apr 4, 2019 · The eastern hellbender is a large, aquatic salamander that occurs in cool, permanent streams across 15 states. Cool and clear water is important because hellbenders breathe entirely through their skin, which contains numerous folds to increase oxygen absorption.
Aug 7, 2013 · They are also called “mud cats,” “devil dogs” and “snot otters” — named for the mucus they secrete through their skin when threatened. Fossil records date the existence of hellbender ...
May 18, 2018 · Hellbender facts & pictures for kids & adults. Conservation, diet, where found, videos & more. The hellbender is a salamander found in fast-flowing rivers in the eastern United States. Reaching up to 29 inches in length, the hellbender is the largest amphibian in North America, and the fourth-largest in the world.
A team of dedicated scientists is raising eastern hellbenders and releasing them into rivers, helping these ample amphibians to survive.
