Up to three feet long and slippery, the eel-like two-toed amphiuma is an entirely aquatic salamander and considered one of the longest in the United States. The top of its body is dark brown or black with a dark grey underside.
Did You Know?
The two toes on either side of its body that give the two-toed amphiuma its name are present but virtually useless.
With its strong jaws and two rows of razor-sharp teeth, the amphiuma catches and eats other salamanders, frogs, crayfish and other small, aquatic creatures. It is native to Florida and Louisiana and can be found as far north as Virginia, typically in swamps, ponds or areas of slow or no current. The two-toed amphiuma is nocturnal and can occasionally be found on land during rainstorms at night.