#cryptobranchus alleganiensis

[snototter]

An Eastern hellbender (Cryptobranchus a. alleganiensis) also known as the snot otter, devil-dog, lasagna lizard, grampus, mud devil, or Allegheny alligator, in Tennessee, USA

by Kevin Stohlgren

[morganwiemerart]

Eastern Hellbender, 2024

Found throughout the Eastern US, especially in western North Carolina and the Appalachian Mountains, these adorable big salamanders rely on large, flat rocks in streams for shelter and breeding. Hikers removing or stacking rocks from the streams pose a big problem for these guys, so if you see a man-made rock stack always take it down!

[herpsandbirds]

Hellbenders (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis), family Cryptobranchidae, eastern United States

The smallest of the "Giant Salamanders" in the family Cryptobranchidae, this aquatic salamander is nonetheless quite large, growing to a length of up to 29 inches.

While only considered "Vulnerable" nationally, this species is considered endangered in some states.

photographs by David Herasimtschuk

[have-you-seen-this-animal]

hellbender!

I've previously done a poll on the Ozark hellbender but I'll do hellbenders in general for this one!

[amnhnyc]

Haters are gonna hate, and hellbenders are gonna hellbend! In fact, fossil evidence indicates hellbenders have been hellbending for quite some time: They’ve been around for more than 150 million years. Sometimes called the “snot otter” or “devil dog,” the hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis) is one of the largest salamanders on the planet. This hefty amphibian can reach lengths of 30 in (76.2 cm) and weights of up to 5 lbs (2.3 kg). What’s more? Thanks to its gaping mouth, a hellbender can gulp down prey nearly its own size. Found in regions of eastern North America, it’s estimated that individuals can live for up to 50 years in the wild—so give this slimy senior some respect. Photo: USDAgov, CC BY-SA 3.0, flickr #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #amazinganimals #salamander https://www.instagram.com/p/CpAikOnLBUw/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Word List: Hell

beautiful words with "hell" to try to include in your poem/story

Hellacious - exceptionally powerful or violent; remarkably good; extremely difficult; extraordinarily large

Helladic - of or relating to the Bronze Age culture of the Greek mainland lasting from about 2500 to 1100 b.c.

Helladotherium - a genus of extinct Pliocene giraffes of Greece and Asia Minor

Hellbender - a large aquatic usually brownish-gray salamander (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis) of streams of the eastern and central U.S.

Hell-bent - stubbornly and often recklessly determined or intent

Hellbox - a receptacle into which a printer throws damaged or discarded type material

Hellbroth - a brew for working black magic

Hellcat - witch; a violently temperamental person

Hell-diver - a pied-billed grebe or other rather small grebe i.e., any of a family (Podicipedidae) of swimming and diving birds closely related to the loons but having lobed toes

Helldog - hellhound (i.e., a dog represented in mythology as a guardian of the underworld; a fiendish person)

Hellebore - a poisonous herb (genus Veratrum) of the lily family

Helleborine - any of several orchids

Hellenize - to become Greek or Hellenistic

Helleri - swordtail i.e., a small brightly marked Central American live-bearer (Xiphophorus helleri) often kept in tropical aquariums and bred in many colors

Hellfire - the eternal fire of hell that tortures sinners

Hellgrammite - a carnivorous aquatic North American insect larva that is the young form of a dobsonfly (especially Corydalis cornutus) and is used for fish bait

Hellhole - a place of extreme misery or squalor

Hellion - a troublesome or mischievous person

Hellish - of, resembling, or befitting hell; broadly: terrible

Hellkite - one that shows hellish cruelty

Hellmouth - a property in a medieval mystery or miracle play representing the entrance of hell as the gaping jaws sometimes with moving joints of a monster resembling a whale

Hellroot - small broomrape i.e., a broomrape (Orobanche minor) having a loose spike of flowers with two basal bracts and a corolla with rounded lobes

Hell's bells - used especially to express impatience or irritation

Hellscape - a hellish landscape; a harshly unpleasant place or environment

If any of these words inspire your writing, do tag me or send me a link. I'd love to read your work!

More: Word Lists ⚜ Heaven

[lizardsaredinosaurs]

You wanna see hell, sunshine? Move my rocks and find out.

Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis) AKA water dog OR snot otter

Eastern USA

Status: Vulnerable (IUCN); protected in several states

---

He's actually harmless, don't worry. But don't move the river rocks where they nest!

become a member on ko-fi || newsletter

[gin-and-topsoil]

Happy flat fuck Friday to the Hellbender salamander (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis)

the Americas only giant salamander species! The little guy above is the eastern subspecies and the most common to find. Though they are elusive and declining in numbers because of sediment pollution and habitat fragmentation

Photo source:

[goomeow]

You cant call it the eastern hellbender and name it c. alleganiensis thats the species name and the eastern subspecies is cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis . Because its split into eastern and ozark where the ozark hellbender is c. a. bishopii

[snototter]

A hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis) also known as the snot otter, devil-dog, lasagna lizard, grampus, mud devil, or Allegheny alligator, in Tennessee, USA

by Alan Cressler

[gayarograce]

Here's a picture of C. alliganiensis. He's so ugly I love him!

(Also I can't italicize the scientific name in the poll unfortunately. Sorry if that bothers anyone.)

[paradoxgavel]

Soooo…. Tell me about these hellbenders.

Oh gosh okay so!! There's this type of salamander where I live up in the Appalachians called a Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis)! And they're big bois. Like, they're closely related to the Giant Salamander over in Asia, and they're usually around 17 inches long, but can be up to about 30 inches! North America's largest amphibian. <3

And they're brown and mottled with tiny little eyes and folds of wrinkled skin all over their body (they breathe through their skin so having folds and wrinkles increases their overall surface area to breathe through!) and people tend to find them maybe a lil ugly. (I personally think they're adorable but I think lots of animals are adorable ldkfjdlfkj. But look at em! They look like a muppet. And look at their nubby lil hands. I love em.)

In fact, people thinking they looked weird or gross or scary is how it got its name. Colonizers arriving in this region thought they looked like they came from hell - thus the name Hellbender. (According to Wikipedia, they're called a whole range of flattering names tho - snot otter, lasagna lizard, devil dog, mud-devil, mud dog, water dog, grampus, and Allegheny alligator.) So people have, historically, tended to be a lil grossed out by them, and as such, they've gone largely ignored up until recently as their habitats were destroyed by water pollution and other human activity. They're very sensitive to changes in water quality and can only live in fairly specific conditions, being habitat specialists. Which can make conservation tricky. But they've been gaining more awareness and have been having their conservation efforts taken more seriously lately! Here in Pennsylvania, they were officially declared the state amphibian by the governor in hopes of raising awareness and efforts to keep the water clean for them! So, here's hoping these dudes make a comeback, bc they're really wonderful lil dudes.

[herpsandbirds]

Eastern Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis), ALBINO, family Cryptobranchidae, western NC, USA

The largest salamander in the Americas, it gorws to a total maximum length of up to 40 cm (15.7 in). 

photograph by Wayne VanDevender

[have-you-seen-this-animal]

[krillbot]

Same thing with Giant Salamanders! There's five in East Asia, genus Andrias

The Chinese Giant Salamander Andrias sligoi is the world's largest amphibian, the largest on record was 5.9 feet or 1.8 meters.

Beeeg doggy

And the sole survivor of it's genus, Cryptobranchus alleganiensis aka the Hellbender, smaller by half than it's Asian cousins, but still a cutie. Other regional nicknames include: the snot otter, water dog, and lasagna lizard:D

Kinda is like a lasagna

I don't mean it in a creepy way I promise, but I feel a kinship with China, Japan and Korea i wish more people from my region shared, because...we have sister ecosystems!

It's actually amazing, there are so many plant genera that are not closely related to anything else and just have a couple living species: One (or two) from mid latitude Southeast Asia, and one from the Southeastern USA.

For example, the two living lotus species (sacred lotus and American lotus), the two living tulip tree/ Liriodendron species, the Chinese and American sweetgums (Liquidambar spp.) the Chinese and American trumpet vines (Campsis spp.) the Chinese, Japanese and American wisteria (Wisteria spp), the Chinese, Taiwan and American sassafras (Sassafras spp.) I KNOW i'm forgetting many of them because there are so many. Twins!!!!

And there's so many iconic plant groups shared in common between East Asia and SE USA. Like dogwoods, magnolias, rhododendrons, we even have our own bamboo!!!

I think a lot of how strangely familiar each ecosystem would feel to someone visiting from the other one.

And I bet there's a lot of ecological knowledge and insights we could share with each other...

Sister ecosystems...

[vintagereject]

They've been around for more than 150 million years. Sometimes called the "snot otter" or "devil dog," the hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis) is one of the largest salamanders on the planet.