Necturus alabamensis
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| Necturus alabamensis Viosca, 1937 |
The Alabama Waterdog is a medium-sized species of Necturus found in medium to large streams in eastern Mississippi, north-central to southern Alabama, western Georgia, and the panhandle of Florida. Adults range from 15 to 22 cm from tip of snout to tip of tail, and have external red and bushy gills. There is usually a lack of spots on the ventral side while the dorsal side may be spotted, especially in young animals. The colour of the Alabama Waterdog ranges from reddish brown to nearly black. The tail is compressed latterally, and there are four toes on each hindlimb. They seem to prefer rivers and streams which have logjams and or other debris which provide cover and oviposition sites for adults. Breeding occurs aquatically and sexually active specimens will have swollen cloacal lips. Animals at this stage are usually collected in winter.
[edit] References
- Petranka, James W. (1998) Salamanders of the United States and Canada, Washington and London: Smithsonian Institution Press.
- AmphibiaWeb
- Global Amphibian Assessment
