Amphiuma
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Amphiuma Temporal range: Pleistocene–present |
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| Two-toed amphiuma | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Subclass: | Lissamphibia |
| Order: | Caudata |
| Suborder: | Salamandroidea |
| Family: |
Amphiumidae Gray, 1825 |
| Genus: |
Amphiuma Garden, 1821 |
| Species | |
Amphiuma means
Amphiuma pholeter
Amphiuma tridactylum
Amphiuma is a genus of aquatic salamanders, the only extant genus within the family Amphiumidae /æmfᵻˈjuːmᵻdiː/. They are also known to fishermen as "conger eels" or "Congo snakes", which are zoologically incorrect designations, with amphiumas being salamanders, and not reptiles, nor fish. Amphiuma exhibits one of the largest compliments of DNA in the living world, around 25 times more than a human.
Amphiumas have an elongated body, generally grey-black in color. They do have legs, but they are merely vestigial and very small. While amphiumas can be up to 116 cm (46 in) long, their legs measure only up to about 2 cm (0.79 in). It is because of this that they are often mistaken for eels or snakes. They also lack eyelids and a tongue. Amphiumas also have a lateral line visible on the sides of their bodies, which are capable of detecting movement and are used in aid of hunting.
Female amphiumas lay their eggs in wet mud, and then remain coiled around them for about five months, until they hatch. The larvae have external gills, but after about four months these external gills disappear and the lungs begin to work. One pair of gill slits, with fully functioning internal gills, is retained and never disappears, so the metamorphosis remains incomplete.
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Wikipedia