What is a mudpuppy salamander?

A mudpuppy salamander is a type of salamander that never changes from its juvenile state, remaining aquatic with external gills for its whole life. They are gray to rusty brown to nearly black in color with black spotting. Their tails are vertically compressed to aid them in swimming.

Mudpuppy salamanders are predators that hunt at night or in murky water. They are major predators of crayfish, and they also eat insect larvae, small fish, fish eggs, small worms, snails and other amphibians. They will eat any carrion they come across. They are hunted in turn by large fish, water snakes and wading birds.