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<u>OTTAWA DAILY TIMES </u>(Illinois) 05 April 07 Mudpuppy salamanders: They aren't exactly pretty (Fred Krause)
Some outdoor enthusiasts have called or sent me photos of some new creatures that have ended up on their fishing lines.
While these creatures are not really new, they have been quite scarce for a few years and now seem to be making a comeback. When I was a kid they were commonly referred to as a "hellbender" or a "mudpuppy."
The biological name for these amphibians are salamanders. They fall under this name, which is applied to about 500 different species with slender bodies, short legs and long tails. The moist skin of these amphibians is common, since they frequent areas of water or under the protection of moist leaves, wood or the soil of a forest.
Most of the species I have been called upon to identify are of the aquatic type. When fishing in small rivers or ponds, they will hit some of the same baits used when fishing for catfish or bullheads. They can reach the length of about one foot.
Salamanders superficially resemble lizards, but the main difference is the lack of scales. Most lizards species have pronounced scales on their bodies. Another interesting phenomenon is the fact that salamanders can regenerate lost limbs. Their habitat generally is restricted to the northern hemisphere, with the exception of a few species living in the northernmost portion of South America.
I did see a few when I visited Brazil, South America during the 1970s. In China and Japan there are giant salamanders which reaches five feet in length.
If one handles a salamander a lot, the oil from human skin can cause permanent injury or death to the creature.
http://mywebtimes.com/ottnews/archives/ottawa/display.php?id=294959
Some outdoor enthusiasts have called or sent me photos of some new creatures that have ended up on their fishing lines.
While these creatures are not really new, they have been quite scarce for a few years and now seem to be making a comeback. When I was a kid they were commonly referred to as a "hellbender" or a "mudpuppy."
The biological name for these amphibians are salamanders. They fall under this name, which is applied to about 500 different species with slender bodies, short legs and long tails. The moist skin of these amphibians is common, since they frequent areas of water or under the protection of moist leaves, wood or the soil of a forest.
Most of the species I have been called upon to identify are of the aquatic type. When fishing in small rivers or ponds, they will hit some of the same baits used when fishing for catfish or bullheads. They can reach the length of about one foot.
Salamanders superficially resemble lizards, but the main difference is the lack of scales. Most lizards species have pronounced scales on their bodies. Another interesting phenomenon is the fact that salamanders can regenerate lost limbs. Their habitat generally is restricted to the northern hemisphere, with the exception of a few species living in the northernmost portion of South America.
I did see a few when I visited Brazil, South America during the 1970s. In China and Japan there are giant salamanders which reaches five feet in length.
If one handles a salamander a lot, the oil from human skin can cause permanent injury or death to the creature.
http://mywebtimes.com/ottnews/archives/ottawa/display.php?id=294959