This past semester in Herpetology class, we had the opportunity to go to the SC Aquarium. Once there, we were able to see a diverse assortment of reptiles and amphibians. One of the coolest amphibians that we saw was the Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis). It is a salamander, a big salamander and is the world's 3rd largest salamander to exist. This giant salamander is indeed native to North America. It can be found in large flowing streams with rocky bottoms. Like most salamanders, it has short limbs compared to its body length with four toes in the front and five toes in the hind limbs. Its body shape is rather flat with a flat head as well. It does have eyes, that look like tiny round marbles. Hellbenders are your aquatic salamanders. They are nocturnal and do possess lungs, however, the folds on their skin contain a complex system of capillaries in which they breath oxygen from the water in. When they swim, their tail helps to propel their body through the fast flowing streams. These giant salamanders can grow up to about being 30 inches long from snout to vent. I believe that the hellbender at the aquarium seemed to be about a good 20 inches long. I could not tell whether or not it was a female or a male and their is no dimorphism within the hellbenders when it comes to their gender preference. (Michelle Hou, SC)
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