What species is this animal?

[Maddy McCall]

I've never seen anything like it before. Anyone know what it is?

[Shakespeare]

1. I think it's a giant salamander.

Where's Sallymander when you need her...I KNOW she'd know what it is.

edited to add:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_salamander

[Zuiderelle]

5. Yeah... She's posted pictures of herself holding those things too.

[mainegreen]

2. Isn't that some sort of Appalachian 'fire lizard' or something?

Vague guess. Looks like a salamander of some sort.

[southpaw]

3. Looks like a Hellbender

I'll look it up and see if I can confirm.

[mainegreen]

4. Hellbender

That's the name I was looking for.

Not 'some sort of Appalachian fire lizard'

:rofl:

[Blue-Jay]

6. That's a big ol mudpuppy! Maybe an Eastern Hellbender.

?v=0

[DarkTirade]

7. Actually, I think that one's chinese.

Don't remember the name but I'll look it up.

[DarkTirade]

8. Ah. That was difficult.

It's called a 'Chinese Giant Salamander'. :) Creative naming conventions.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/01/photogalleries/amphibian-pictures/

[Maddy McCall]

16. Wow...you found the identical photo!!!

Thanks! Yep, I'd say you got it right...lol.

Thanks a million!

:hug:

[southpaw]

10. I think you're right

The Chinese and Japanese Giant Salamanders grow significantly larger than the North American Hellbender. Plus the coloring of this one looks more like the Asian variety. The Hellbender tends toward a darker brown color.

Interesting bit of info I found while googling on this... the Hellbender is sometimes refered to as the 'snot otter.'

I love that.

[SallyMander]

22. I did a bunch of fieldwork in SE Ohio

and the folks down there also call eastern newts "red-spot crick lizards." I always loved that. :D

[Maddy McCall]

9. Thanks, y'all...I'm thinking hellbender after reading through the posts.

It's the hugest amphibian I've ever seen.

[DarkTirade]

11. Close relative, but nope. Hellbenders don't get as big as these guys can.

:)

[Maddy McCall]

12. Darn it. I wanted it to be a "hellbender" because it's a cool name.

:D

[DarkTirade]

14. I think Sally Mander has posted pics of hellbenders here before.

[SallyMander]

21. Squee! Good job on the ID :-)

I WISH we had Andrias here... man they are SWEEEET! For comparison, here is the largest amphibian in North America, the hellbender (Cryptobranchus spp.)

[DarkTirade]

23. Yep, that's the pic I was thinking of.

:P

[SallyMander]

27. Iza says i shouldn't post that one

I think he is worried people won't look at the salamander ;)


How's it going DT? :hug:

[DarkTirade]

28. Now who in their right mind would rather stare at cleavage than a cute l'il amphibian?

I've been pretty busy lately. Finally got a job that works with my whacky schedule. 'Tis a bit strange for me though, my last two jobs were almost entirely staffed by guys, whereas most of the time I'm the only guy there at my new job. The conversations tend to run slightly differently than they did at my last couple of jobs. :P

[SallyMander]

31. LOL! That must be new and different

What's the new job? I'm glad the schedule is working out for you. Hope it leaves you with some time to enjoy the summer. :D

[DarkTirade]

33. I'm working at a Michael's craft store. Which means I get a discount on all kinds of weird nifty

stuff that I can use to make even weirder niftier stuff. :P They close early on Sunday and right now they don't seem to need me on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so I have one weekend evening to hang out with friends, and two extra days that are kinda my relax/do what I wanna do/weekend sorta.

Not sure what's gonna happen when school starts, since I'm planning on cramming all my classes into Tuesday and Thursday.

[harmonicon]

30. so...

Do you have to play around in the muck with slimy things to keep away all of the 'indoor boys' that would otherwise be following you around?

[SallyMander]

32. LOL - i was playing around in the much

long before boys were a concern! :D

And i can clean up alright - it just doesn't happen too frequently! :rofl:

[DarkTirade]

34. There aren't very many women out there who like slimies and scalies.

I kinda sorta dated one briefly (more like friends with benefits than dating really) who had more reptiles than I did. Kinda strange to be with a woman who's got a bigger lizard than I do. :P

[SallyMander]

38. It's true, we are a rare breed

"Special" i believe is the word my parents used. :rofl:

I have a blue-tongued skink at home and a spotted salamander at the office. Used to have a bunch more critters, but i have my hands full with the fiance, grad school, and the two dogs!

Sounds like you will be super busy once school starts! Don't burn yourself out. :hug:

[DarkTirade]

41. Yeah, those fiances need a lot of attention.

You have to make sure they're fed and watered properly... :P

[SallyMander]

42. Seriously, and if you ignore them, they whine!

:eyes:


:rofl:


J/K, actually Iza is the cook in our household - so usually i'm the one being fed! :D

[DarkTirade]

43. Probably a good thing... I wouldn't want the same hands that rove through the mud finding slimies

handling my food... :P

[SallyMander]

45. Hey! I WASH my hands, you know!

x(

[DarkTirade]

47. I keed, I keed.

Seriously though... wash 'em good. :P

[WannaBeGrumpy]

13. This thread cracked me the hell up!

:rofl:

[Maddy McCall]

17. Good!

After what you discussed in your other thread, you needed a laugh.

:hug:

[WannaBeGrumpy]

19. =]

:rofl: :hug:

[stuntcat]

35. wrong place

x(

[Arkansas Granny]

15. Don't know what it is, Maddy, but that face compliments your frog.

Those "fingers" look almost human!

[Maddy McCall]

18. Yeah, it's got cutesy little paws, doesn't it?

I wish I could hybridize Frederico and that big salamander.

:hi:

[RebelOne]

20. Looks like a blue box with a question mark.

Never seen an animal like that.

[Connonym]

24. I think we must read the same internet gossip sites :)

:toast: Are you a D-Listed junkie too?

[Maddy McCall]

25. I am!

I love MichaelK. :D

[begin_within]

26. Karl Rove's grandpa?

[galledgoblin]

29. soo cute

[Deja Q]

36. Dunno what it is, but I betcha it came from the city of Chernobyl...

Or maybe their fishery, Chernobyl farms...


:hide:

[MonkeyFunk]

37. that's a Mississippi poodle

[Maddy McCall]

40. Didn't even have to look at the user name...

to know who posted this.

:spank:

[stuntcat]

39. the Precious species!

:loveya: I like it a LOT

[hedgehog]

44. Hellbender

[puerco-bellies]

46. Rhymes with species.. Must. not. copycat.

Ghaaah..

[Fire Walk With Me]

48. That's a Republican, without the Human suit.

Absolutely no offense intended to giant salamanders, who are intrinsically classy.