#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!

[butchblooms]

These are eastern hellbenders and they are the largest salamander in the United States! Their population is imperiled because they require very clean and fast flowing streams, in a relatively narrow range. Fun fact, their bodies are super wrinkly because they breathe through their skin, and the extra surface area helps them get more oxygen from the streams they live in. Hellbenders deserve to be protected at all costs!

Me when I fucking get you

[a-book-of-creatures]

Yeah I’m into crypto… Cryptobranchus alleganiensis, that is.

[herpsandbirds]

Hellbenders (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis), family Cryptobranchidae, found in freshwater streams in the eastern US

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. (The USFWS is now proposing that the species be listed as ENDANGERED under the Endangered Species Act.)

photographs by David Herasimtschuk Freshwaters Illustrated

[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!

[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!

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[aisling-saoirse]

Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus, Hellbender Salamander Cryptobranchus alleganiensis, Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus, and Black Vulture Coragyps atratus

[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:

[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.)

[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...

[herpsandbirds]

got any good hellbender pics? i love them

One of my favorite North American animals!!!

Eastern Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis), family Cryptobranchidae, endemic to some freshwater rivers systems of the eastern United States

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

In the same family as the Japanese and Chinese Giant Salamanders.

The side skin folds can absorb oxygen from the water.

They are also called “snot otters”.

They feed mainly on crayfish but also eat worms, aquatic insects/insect larvae, snails, fish, and tadpoles.

They only live in clean clear water streams.

Their conservation status is Vulnerable, due to siltation, sedimentation, dams, and pollution.

photograph by Ray Meibaum

photograph by Mark Tegges

photograph by Lori Williams | NCWRC

photograph by David Herasimtschuk Freshwaters Illustrated

photograph by Isaac Szabo

photograph by Ryan Hagerty/USFWS

photograph by Luke Weir

[have-you-seen-this-animal]

[theflashisgone]

My favorite salamander isn't in this genus. It's the hellbender, Cryptobranchus alleganiensis, also known as the "snot otter, lasagna lizard, devil dog, mud-devil, mud dog, water dog, grampus, Allegheny alligator, and leverian water newt" (Wikipedia).

In your journey to cultivate yourself as a person, it is of utmost importance to choose your favorite species of mole salamander. You never know when someone will ask, as this question is a common ice-breaker in many social circles. If you don’t already have a favorite Ambystomid salamander in mind, feel free to select one of my favorites for your personal use.