Two-toed Amphiuma (Amphiuma means)

Two-toed amphiumas (Amphiuma means) are a large, aquatic species of salamander from the southeastern United States. Amphiumas are escape artists and should have a tight fitting lid on their aquarium. In the wild their diet consists of fish, crawfish, other amphibians, and just about anything else they can fit in their mouths. I mostly feed them nightcrawlers and fish in captivity which makes a fine staple diet. Two-toed amphiumas are the longest species of amphiuma reaching lengths of up to 45”, which also makes them the longest species of amphibian native to the United States and one of the largest amphibians in the world. Amphiumas are capable of inflicting a seriously painful bite and should be handled with respect, it is best to use nets when working with them.  These salamanders appear legless at first glance, having only four small vestigial legs, and are sometimes mistaken for eels. It isn’t uncommon to hear them referred to as “congo eels” or “conger eels” although these nickn