Amphibians · Caudata · Amphiumidae

Two-toed Amphiuma

Amphiuma means

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The two-toed amphiuma is an elongated amphibian of more than a metre with four vestigial legs of two toes each, practically useless. It is entirely aquatic, nocturnal, and bites hard if handled. The female stays coiled around her clutch for five months without eating, guarding it until it hatches.

Weight

201 g on average

Size

45 cm – 1.2 m

Lifespan

27 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Nocturnal

Active mainly at night.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

FreshwaterCarnivore Nocturnal Solitary Amphibian Freshwater

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Fun facts

Its four legs are vestigial and have only two toes each: they are so tiny as to be invisible at a distance, and the animal moves by wriggling like an eel.
The female coils around her clutch and stays with it for five months without feeding, protecting it from predators until it hatches.
It has the largest red blood cells of any known vertebrate, a feature that has made it standard material in cytology laboratories and microscopy classes.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (amphibian)
Habitat & environment: Pools, ditches, marshes and slow streams with muddy bottoms in the south-eastern United States
Sexual maturity: 4 years
Gestation / incubation: 4.9 months
Litter / clutch size: 200

Sources consulted: https://www.iucnredlist.org/ | https://animaldiversity.org/ | https://es.wikipedia.org/