Natural History: Two-Toed Amphiuma

 On our first field trip of the class we had many exciting finds, including a two-toed amphiuma! The two-toed amphiuma, or Amphiuma means, is an eel-like member of the family Amphiumidae. It is commonly known as the “congo eel”, “lamper eel”, or “ditch eel” This specimen was caught in a trap set in the swamps of Caw-Caw Interpretive Center in Ravenel, SC. Two-toed amphiumas are primarily aquatic species but have the ability to move overland. Their small, useless looking legs reflect their aquatic lifestyle. They are commonly found in ponds, swamps, rice fields, and marshes (all of which fit the environment at Caw-Caw!) Ranging between 14.5-30 inches, this two-toed amphiuma was approximately 20 inches long. This individual was a dark brown/black with no sharp color changes on its body. It was easily distinguishable from a Siren because it had no external gills and four useless looking legs. It was distinguished as a two-toed amphiuma because there were two toes on each leg. When the trap was pulled up, the amphiuma started thrashing around and started to “slime” as a method to escape its predators making it almost impossible to hold (which also helps them stay moist during droughts!). It eventually settled down after it was placed in the bucket of water. There has not been much research on the life history of the two-toed amphiuma, but this individual appeared to be an adult by the absence of external gills. Two-toed amphiuma eat a variety of creatures including fish, snakes, and other amphiumas. Because it was caught in trap, we were able to avoid being bitten by their notorious savage bite. Since these species are found easier at night, it was exciting to catch one during the day! Finding cool creatures, such as the two-toed amphiuma, definitely made tromping through the swamps more fun.