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The Living Encyclopedia
Explore our comprehensive database of reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates. Discover detailed care guides, morph varieties, and community setups.
amphibian
Hellbender
Cryptobranchus alleganiensis
The hellbender, also known as the hellbender salamander, is a species of aquatic giant salamander endemic to the eastern and central United States. It is the largest salamander in North America. A member of the family Cryptobranchidae, the hellbender is the only extant member of the genus Cryptobranchus. Other closely related salamanders in the same family are in the genus Andrias, which contains the Japanese and Chinese giant salamanders. The hellbender is much larger than any other salamander in its geographic range, and employs an unusual adaption for respiration through cutaneous gas exchange via capillaries found in its lateral skin folds. It fills a particular niche—both as a predator and prey—in its ecosystem, which either it or its ancestors have occupied for around 65 million years. The species is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species due to the impacts of disease and widespread habitat loss and degradation throughout much of its range. Eastern hellbender populations are dropping quickly across most of their range, nearly 80% are declining or disappearing altogether. A reason for this is the loss of forest along streams, which they rely on to keep their habitats stable and clean. In many places, the populations are mostly older individuals, with few young hellbenders showing up to replace them.
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amphibian
Chinese Giant Salamander
Andrias davidianus
Chinese Giant Salamander (Andrias davidianus)
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J
amphibian
Japanese Giant Salamander
Andrias japonicus
Japanese Giant Salamander (Andrias japonicus)
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amphibian
Mudpuppy
Necturus maculosus
Necturus is a genus of aquatic salamanders in the family Proteidae. Species of the genus are native to the eastern United States and Canada. They are commonly known as waterdogs and mudpuppies. The common mudpuppy (N. maculosus) is probably the best-known species – as an amphibian with gill slits, it is often dissected in comparative anatomy classes. The common mudpuppy has the largest distribution of any fully aquatic salamander in North America.
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amphibian
Olm
Proteus anguinus
Olms are the nine species in the genus Proteus. They are aquatic salamanders, and the only exclusively cave-dwelling chordate genus found in Europe. The genus is assigned to the family Proteidae, along with Necturus. In contrast to most amphibians, this genus is entirely aquatic; eating, sleeping, and breeding underwater. Living in caves found in the Dinaric Alps, the genus is endemic to the waters that flow underground through the extensive limestone bedrock of the karst of Central and Southeastern Europe in the basin of the Soča River near Trieste, Italy, southern Slovenia, southwestern Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Introduced populations are found near Vicenza, Italy, and Kranj, Slovenia. It was first mentioned in 1689 by the local naturalist Valvasor in his Glory of the Duchy of Carniola, who reported that, after heavy rains, the olms were washed up from the underground waters and were believed by local people to be a cave dragon's offspring.
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amphibian
Greater Siren
Siren lacertina
Greater Siren (Siren lacertina)
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amphibian
Amphiuma
Amphiuma tridactylum
Amphiuma tridactylum, the three-toed amphiuma, is a species of aquatic salamander native to the Southeastern United States.
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amphibian
Ensatina
Ensatina eschscholtzii
Ensatina (Ensatina eschscholtzii)
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amphibian
Surinam Toad
Pipa pipa
The common Surinam toad, the Suriname toad, or star-fingered toad, is a fully-aquatic species of frog, in the family Pipidae, with a widespread range across much of tropical South America and the island of Trinidad. The females of this species are well-known for "incubating" their eggs on their backs, in honeycomb-like depressions directly within the skin, releasing fully-formed froglets after a period of 4–5 months. Pipa pipa is an ambush predator, lying in-wait underwater for prey to inevitably wander too close, swiftly inhaling the unsuspecting creature using suction feeding. Additionally, the Surinam toad's rather flat body shape, combined with rather dark, dull coloration, serves as effective camouflage in the murky waters they inhabit, mimicking a dead leaf or piece of rotting wood as they await their next meal.
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amphibian
Glass Frog
Centrolenella prosoblepon
Glass Frog (Centrolenella prosoblepon)
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amphibian
Poison Arrow Frog
Dendrobates auratus
Poison Arrow Frog (Dendrobates auratus)
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amphibian
Strawberry Poison Frog
Oophaga pumilio
Strawberry Poison Frog (Oophaga pumilio)
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amphibian
Golden Poison Frog
Phyllobates terribilis
The golden poison frog, also known as the golden dart frog or golden poison arrow frog, is a poison dart frog endemic to the rainforests of Colombia. The golden poison frog has become endangered due to habitat destruction within its naturally limited range. Despite its small size, this frog is considered to be the most poisonous extant animal species on the planet.
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amphibian
Blue Poison Dart Frog
Dendrobates tinctorius azureus
The blue poison dart frog or blue poison arrow frog is a poison dart frog found in the "forest islands" surrounded by the Sipaliwini Savanna in southern Suriname. Its indigenous Tiriyo name is okopipi. The name "azureus" comes from its azure blue color. While first described as a valid species and usually recognized as such in the past, recent authorities generally treat it as a morph of D. tinctorius, although a few treat it as a subspecies of D. tinctorius or continue to treat it as its own species. To what extent it differs from the blue D. tinctorius in southern Guyana, adjacent Pará (Brazil) and possibly far southwestern Suriname, is also a matter of dispute, and many herpetologists, as well as many people keeping poison dart frogs in captivity, have not distinguished these, with all commonly being identified as "azureus". Members of the Dendrobatidae family, including D. tinctorius "azureus" have been used as a model organisms in the study of chytridiomycosis, a fungal disease that affects amphibians worldwide.
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amphibian
Mantella Frog
Mantella aurantiaca
The golden mantella is a small, terrestrial frog endemic to Madagascar. It has an extremely restricted distribution in three distinct areas centered on the town of Moramanga - Beparasy and Ambohibary Communes, Torotorofotsy Wetland northwest of Andasibe, and in the area of Ambakoana. Mantella aurantiaca is one of Madagascar's most threatened amphibian species due to its limited distribution in an area under tremendous anthropogenic pressure. It may also be threatened by over-collection for the pet trade.
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bird
Shoebill
Balaeniceps rex
The shoebill, also known as the whale-headed stork, whalebill, and shoe-billed stork, is a large long-legged wading bird. It is named for its enormous, shoe-shaped bill. It has a somewhat stork-like overall form and was previously classified as a stork in the order Ciconiiformes, but genetic evidence has now placed it along with pelicans, herons, and its closest relative, the hamerkop, all in the order Pelecaniformes. Adults are mainly grey, while juveniles are browner. It lives in tropical East Africa in large swamps from South Sudan down to Zambia.
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bird
Hoatzin
Opisthocomus hoazin
The hoatzin is a species of tropical bird found in swamps, riparian forests, and mangroves of the Amazon and Orinoco Basins in South America. It is the only extant species in the genus Opisthocomus which is the only extant genus in the family Opisthocomidae under the order Opisthocomiformes. Despite being the subject of intense debate by specialists, the taxonomic position of this family is still far from clear.
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bird
Potoo
Nyctibius griseus
Potoo (Nyctibius griseus)
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bird
Oilbird
Steatornis caripensis
The oilbird, locally known as the guácharo, is a bird species found in the northern areas of South America including the Caribbean island of Trinidad. It is the only living species in the genus Steatornis, the family Steatornithidae, and the order Steatornithiformes. Nesting in colonies in caves, oilbirds are nocturnal feeders on the fruits of the oil palm and tropical laurels. They are the only nocturnal flying fruit-eating birds in the world. They forage at night, with specially adapted eyesight. However, they navigate by echolocation in the same way as bats, one of the few birds to do so. They produce a high-pitched clicking sound of around 2 kHz that is audible to humans.
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bird
Frogmouth
Podargus strigoides
The tawny frogmouth is a species of frogmouth native to the Australian mainland and Tasmania and found throughout. It is a big-headed, stocky bird often mistaken for an owl due to its nocturnal habits and similar colouring.
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