- Necturus beyeri
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Gulf Coast Waterdog Conservation status Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Amphibia Order: Caudata Family: Proteidae Genus: Necturus Species: N. beyeri Binomial name Necturus beyeri
Viosca, 1937The Gulf Coast Waterdog, Speckled Waterdog or Beyer’s Waterdog (Necturus beyeri) is a species of aquatic salamander native to Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas in the United States.
Contents
Description
Gulf coast waterdogs grow to lengths of 6-8.5 inches and are an overall brown in color, with lighter brown and black speckling. Due to their entirely aquatic nature, their legs are short, with four-toed feet. They have external gills, which look like feathery appendages on either side of their heads. They have a paddle-shaped, flattened tail.
Behavior
They have lungs as well as gills and they are typically found hiding among rocks in clear, spring fed streams with sandy bottoms. They will consume almost any small aquatic invertebrate they can catch. They also have two legs.
Taxonomy
There has been significant controversy over the taxonomy of in the genus Necturus, particularly in regard to N. alabamensis, N. beyeri, and N. maculosus. However, electrophoretic evidence suggests N. beyeri is a distinct species (Petranka, 1998).
References
- Hammerson (2004). Necturus beyeri. 2006. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. www.iucnredlist.org. Retrieved on 09 May 2006. Database entry includes a range map and a brief justification of why this species is of least concern.
- IUCN RangeMap: Necturus beyeri
- Herps of Texas: Necturus beyeri
- Amphibian Species of the World: Necturus beyeri
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