Family: Amphiumidae, Amphiumas view all from this family
Description 18-41 3/4" (45.7-106 cm). Aquatic eel-like salamander; 4 tiny legs, each with 3 toes. Dark brown above, belly light gray. Costal grooves average 62.
Breeding Internal fertilization. Mates December to June; nests April to October. About 200 eggs are laid in single strand that becomes tangled in cavity.
Habitat Bottomland marshes and lakes, bayous, cypress sloughs, and streams in hilly regions. Frequently occupies crayfish burrows.
Range W. Alabama into Texas, north through Mississippi valley to extreme se. Missouri and adjacent Kentucky.
Discussion Nocturnal. This amphiuma can be found after dark in shallows, poking its head out of debris or bottom mud, or foraging for crayfish, frogs, small snakes and fish. Like other amphiumas, Three-toes are commonly caught by fishermen, who detest them as a nuisance preying on virtually everything that swims, including other amphiumas. In turn they are preyed upon by mudsnakes and cottonmouths. Amphiumas rarely leave the water but may travel short distances overland during rainstorms.
