Western waterdog
Appearance
Gulf Coast waterdog | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | |
Phylum: | |
Class: | |
Order: | |
Family: | |
Genus: | |
Species: | N. beyeri
|
Binomial name | |
Necturus beyeri Viosca, 1937
|
The Gulf Coast waterdog (Necturus beyeri) is a species of aquatic salamander in the family Proteidae. It is native to the southeastern United States, where it occurs in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas.[1] This may be a species complex that could be split into different taxa as research indicates.[2] It is closely related to Necturus alabamensis.[1]
Description
Adults are 6 to 8.5 inches (15 to 22 cm) in length. It is brown with light brown and black speckles. It exhibits neoteny, retaining its gills and larva-like tail into adulthood.[3]
Ecology
This species lives in streams with sandy bottoms. It remains on the substrate or burrows into it, sometimes hiding in debris.[1]
The female attaches its eggs to aquatic debris.[4]
References
- ^ a b c IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group. 2014. Necturus beyeri. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2014. Downloaded on 25 June 2016.
- ^ NatureServe. 2015. Necturus beyeri. NatureServe Explorer Version 7.1. Accessed 25 June 2016.
- ^ Gulf Coast Waterdog. Jacksonville Zoo.
- ^ Necturus beyeri. AmphibiaWeb. 2016.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Necturus beyeri.