Hellbender

[Atlascaproni]

The Hellbender salamander is the third largest amphibean, getting up to lengths of up to two feet long, although it is more commonly only about one. Found throughout the Appalation Mountains of the eastern US, this little giant is second in size only to its close reletives, the Chinese and Japanese giant salamanders. It earned its name from numourous (incorrect) myths about it. According to legend, the hellbender is venomous, aggressive, and loves to sabatoge fishing trips by snapping people's lines. In reality, however, the Hellbender is a nonvenoumous, peaceful creature, usualy found under rocks and having a diet consisting of insects that fall into the water and small crayfish on the bottom of mountain streams.

[frostfire]

Originally Posted by Atlascaproni

It earned its name from numourous (incorrect) myths about it. According to legend, the hellbender is venomous, aggressive, and loves to sabatoge fishing trips by snapping people's lines.

I have heard about old folk myths that say that some larger salamanders slime up fishing hooks and intoxicate the water. Are those also about the hellbender then?

How are they actually doing for numbers and are they only found in North America?

[Atlascaproni]

Yes, those myths are partialy about the Hellbender. They are only found in rocky mountain streams in Eastern North America. I'm not sure about they're
numbers, but last I checked they were vulnerable from habitat loss (like everything else).

[mtngoat]

Whoa..ha..ha..
I used to live in the Appies before, and was scared of going into a creek and actually stepping on one though. I've heard that they can grow up to a few feet, or was I confusing it with a Chinese salamander?

[Atlascaproni]

I've heard that they can grow up to a few feet, or was I confusing it with a Chinese salamander?

I think that these guys can get at the most to around two feet. The Chinese and Japanese ones are a bit bigger.