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Lesser Siren
Lesser siren is a long, slender, aquatic amphibian occurring in the United States and Mexico. The creature is nocturnal spending the day hidden in the mud and debris at the bottom of slow-moving, shallow bodies of water.
Kingdom | Animalia |
Phylum | Chordata |
Class | Amphibia |
Subclass | Lissamphibia |
Order | Caudata |
Family | Sirenidae |
Genus | Siren |
Scientific Name | Siren intermedia |
Other Names | Two-legged eel, dwarf siren, mud eel |
Size | 18-68 cm |
Color | Light grayish green to olive or black with small non-uniform markings |
Distribution | Eastern United States, northeastern Mexico |
Habitat | Slow-moving and shallow waters of marshes, ponds, canals, and ditches with abundant aquatic vegetation |
Diet | Aquatic invertebrates like insect larvae, worms, crustaceans, and snails |
Hibernation Fact | Undergoes aestivation |
Predators | Fish, wading birds |
Breeding Season | Spring |
Mode of Reproduction | Oviparous (egg laying) |
Clutch Size | 12 to more than 300 eggs |
Incubation Period | 45 to 76 days |
Reproductive Age | 2 to 3 years of age |
Average Lifespan | 6.3 years in captivity |
IUCN Conservation Status | Least Concern |
Lesser Siren Pictures Gallery
Published on May 21st 2017 by staff under Salamanders. Article was last reviewed on 30th September 2019.