(Necturus maculosus)
Conservation • Description • Habitat • Biology • Distribution • Taxonomy
Conservation Status |
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IUCN Red List | LC - Least Concern |
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NatureServe | N5 - Secure S3 - Vulnerable |
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Minnesota | Special Concern Species in Greatest Conservation Need |
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Description |
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Mudpuppy, also called common mudpuppy, is a common, large salamander. It is the largest and the only completely aquatic salamander in Minnesota. It occurs in the United States from Maine to North Carolina, west to Minnesota and eastern Oklahoma, and in southern Canada from Quebec to Manitoba. It is found in large lakes, reservoirs, large and medium-sized rivers, and sluggish streams. Adults can be 8″ to 19″ (20 to 49 cm) in length but they average 13″ (33 cm) in length. The head is squarish and flattened. The eyes are tiny. At the base of the head there are bushy, deep red, external gills. Adults in silty waters have larger gills, those in well-oxygenated waters have shorter gills. The tail is short and flattened vertically, fin-like. The legs are short and flattened. All of the feet have four toes. The upper side is rusty-brown to gray or nearly black with few to many black or blackish-blue spots. The belly is gray and sometimes has a few spots. Juveniles are black with two yellow stripes on the back. |
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Size |
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8″ to 19″ (20 to 49 cm) |
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Similar Species |
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Habitat |
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Large lakes, reservoirs, large and medium-sized rivers, and sluggish streams |
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Biology |
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Behavior |
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Mudpuppies are solitary. They spend the day concealed under rocks, logs, or weeds, and come out at night to feed. In muddy or heavily vegetated waters they may also be active during the day. They usually walk on the bottom, but they can also swim like fish. |
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Lifespan |
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15 to 25 years or sometimes longer in captivity |
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Life Cycle |
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Mudpuppies are active year-round, they do not hibernate. |
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Adult Food |
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Mudpuppies are opportunistic feeders. They eat anything that they can catch, especially crayfish, but also amphibians, fish, aquatic insects, eggs, worms, mollusks, and carrion. |
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Distribution |
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Sources |
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2/10/2023 | ||||
Occurrence |
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Widespread, common, and locally abundant in Minnesota. |
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Taxonomy |
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Class | Amphibia (amphibians) | ||
Superorder | Batrachia (frogs and salamanders) | ||
Order | Caudata (salamanders) | ||
Family |
Proteidae (mudpuppies and olm) | ||
Genus |
Necturus (mudpuppies and waterdogs) | ||
Subordinate Taxa |
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Red River mudpuppy (Necturus maculosus louisianensis) common mudpuppy (Necturus maculosus maculosus) |
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Two subspecies are currently recognized. A third subspecies, Lake Winnebago mudpuppy (Necturus maculosus stictus) has been described as having many small spots on the back and a weak dark eyeline, but it is not widely accepted. In 1991, an author (Collins) proposed raising the subspecies Red River mudpuppy (N. m. louisianensis) to species level. Most sources, including GBIF and Amphibian Species of the World Online, accept the move and recognize no subspecies of N. maculosus. A few sources, including AmphibiaWeb, reject the move, citing the lack of supporting data. |
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Synonyms |
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Menobranchus lacepedii Menobranchus lateralis Menobranchus maculatus Menobranchus sayii Menobranchus tetradactylus Necturus lateralis Necturus luteus Necturus maculatus Necturus phosphoreus Necturus tetradactylus Phanerobranchus cepedii Phanerobranchus tetradactylus Proteus canadensis Proteus tetradactylus Siredon hyemalis Sirena maculosa Triton lateralis |
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Common Names |
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common mudpuppy large mudpuppy mudpuppy |
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Glossary
Term
Definition
Visitor Photos |
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Jeff LeClere |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos |
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Visitor Videos |
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Share your video of this amphibian. |
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Other Videos |
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Mudpuppy salamanders (Necturus maculosus) and Scientific research! Nature In Your Face |
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About
Jan 7, 2022 Dave and Jeremy team up with the Shedd Aquarium and biologists from SIU to find and do research on the common mudpuppy. The air and water are frigid, but winter is the perfect time to search the shorelines for this fully aquatic salamander species. These amphibians are not only fascinating but are pretty darn cute. |
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Mudpuppy (Necturus maculosus) capturing and processing. Michael Taylor |
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About
Jan 15, 2017 Yesterday I helped out with a mudpuppy survey in Illinois. We did measurements, toe clippings, pit tags, and collected stomach content samples. |
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Created: 2/10/2023
Last Updated: