Dwarf siren

Dwarf sirens are eel-like salamanders of the genus Pseudobranchus. Dwarf sirens possess external gills throughout adulthood and lack hind legs. Dwarf sirens can be distinguished from members of the genus Siren in that dwarf sirens have three toes on each foot rather than four. Like sirens, dwarf sirens are restricted to the Southeastern United States.

Dwarf siren
Temporal range: Miocene–present [1]
Pseudobranchus striatus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Urodela
Family: Sirenidae
Genus: Pseudobranchus
Gray, 1825
Diversity
2 extant species

Species

The genus Pseudobranchus consists of the following extant species:

  • Southern dwarf siren (P. axanthus)
    • Narrow-striped dwarf siren (P. a. axanthus)
    • Everglades dwarf siren (P. a. belli)
  • Northern dwarf siren (P. striatus)
    • Broad-striped dwarf siren (P. s. striatus)
    • Gulf Hammock dwarf siren (P. s. lustricolus)
    • Slender dwarf siren (P. s. spheniscus)

There are also two extinct species known from fossil evidence:

References
  1. "Pseudobranchus Gray 1825 (dwarf siren)". Fossilworks. Retrieved 2019-08-02.
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