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Kansas Herpetofaunal Atlas

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Mudpuppy

Necturus maculosus (Rafinesque, 1818)

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Overview
The Mudpuppy is a large, obligate aquatic salamander with a large flattened, square head, small eyes, and a pair of distinctive, red feathery gills on each side of its head. Mudpuppies are characterized by large size, the presence of bushy gills on each side of the neck behind the head, and four toes on each foot. The large, distinctive, bushy gills of these species are reddish or maroon; the head, body, limbs, and tail are yellowish brown, reddish, gray, or brown. The body and tail are covered with indistinct blue-black spots which vary in number. The belly is pale gray and may or may not be spotted.Adult males can be distinguished from females during the breeding season by the presence of a swollen ridge around, and crescent shaped groove just behind, the cloaca! opening. They are neotenic (retaining larval characteristics into maturity [no transformation]) and retain large external gills throughout their life. In the more clear and cool streams (e.g. Shoal Creek), their gills may be reduced, but are still quite noticeable.
They are gray or reddish-brown, to dark brown with irregularly spaced diffuse-edged blotches on the back. Rarely, the spots may merge to form stripes in adults. There is typically a diffuse dark stripe that runs from the nostril, through the eye, to the gills. The belly is whitish to light gray to light yellow, and may be spotted along the sides or spotted throughout. Specimens from the Marais des Cygnes river drainages have a greater incidence of belly spotting and a darker background than specimens from elsewhere in the state, however, all populations in Kansas may be quite variable in this respect (Taggart 2003; George and Slack 2010).
Four toes are present on each of four well-developed limbs. The cloacae of mature males have two prominent papillae directed backward. In the breeding season, the cloacae of males are swollen. Female cloacae are slit-like and often lighter in coloration. Young Mudpuppies are dark brown with longitudinal yellowish stripes.
— Neosho/Verdigris drainage; 'louisiensis' form: Adults normally 200-250 mm (8-9¾ inches) in total length. The largest Kansas specimen is a male (FHSM 7496) from Allen County with a snout-vent length of 211 mm and a total length of 307 mm (12 inches) collected by Travis W. Taggart on 22 February 2003. This specimen is the largest individual recorded throughout its range (Powell, et al, 2016).
— Marais des Cygnes drainage; 'maculosus' form: Adults normally 200-330 mm (8-13 inches) in total length. The largest specimen is sex undetermined (KU 209746) from Osage County with a snout-vent length of 262 mm and a total length of 385 mm (15¼ inches) collected by Tom Mosher on 4 April 1988. The maximum length throughout the range is 485.8 mm (19­1⁄8 inches) (Powell, et al, 2016).

Distribution
The Mudpuppy is confined to the Marais des Cygnes, Neosho, and Verdigris drainage basins in Kansas. They may be found in ponds, lakes, and streams with a surface connection to perennial waters. They seek shelter under logs, rocks, or vegetation. They are rarely seen but are occasionally found under rocks in shallow water or collected on hook and line by anglers. They have been reported in water as deep as 30 meters.
A specimen (KU 949) from Douglas County was collected at Lawrence (Kansas River) on 1 January 1916. This record is somewhat corroborated by a record from Anderson (1942) and plotted by Daniels and Edmond (2019) from Jackson Co., Missouri (39.1853423436303, -94.3193769802433: Missouri River (Atherton, near): 28 Mar 1937; 27.6 km (17.7 miles) ENE of the confluence of the Kansas and Missouri rivers. 
The next closest records on the Kansas/Missouri rivers are at its confluence with the Osage/Marias des Cygnes approximately 132 miles (212.3 km) (straight line) ESE of the Jackson County record. Brumwell (1933) plotted a record from Leavenworth County. Brumwell (1951) stated that the Mudpuppy was rarely found on the reservation [Fort Leavenworth], having been taken in the Missouri River and ponds near its banks which are. However, goes on to state "In some of the tanks on farms in this area it is common." which indicates there may be confusion with larval forms of Ambystoma. Corroborating records from the Missouri /Kansas rivers west of Jefferson City, Missouri are desirable.

Reproduction
A definite breeding period for these species in Kansas has not been determined, but Smith (1956) suggested that mating occurs in the fall as is the rule to the east. The male deposits a spermatophore which the female grasps in her cloaca! opening. Anytime between April and June, the female retires beneath a log or rock on a stream or river bottom, turns over on her back, and lays her eggs, which she attaches singly to the underside of the sheltering object. Depending on water temperature, the eggs hatch within five to seven weeks. The larvae are intermediate between pond and stream types in that they possess large gills but have a reduced fin confined to the tail. They reach maturity in four to six years.
In the fall, Mudpuppies form shallow-water mating aggregations in sheltered areas under rocks or logs. Males deposit a spermatophore, which is picked up by the female, and stored until late spring. In the spring, females excavate nest cavities 0.1 to 3.0 meters (0.3 to 9.8 feet) deep under rocks or logs (the entrances are on the downstream side) and lay 18 to 180 eggs 5 to 11 mm (0.2 to 0.4 inches) in diameter on the cavity ceiling. Depending on water temperature, Mudpuppy eggs take 1 to 2 months to develop. The larvae are 20 to 25 mm (0.8 to 1.0 inches) in length upon hatching and spend most of their time in leaf beds and other sheltered areas. Mudpuppies reach sexual maturity and 4 to 5 years of age, at a body length of about 20 cm (7.9 inches).
Smith (1956) reported these salamanders feeding on fishes and fish eggs. Other food items recorded for these species are crayfishes, insects, insect larvae, snails, leeches, worms, and other amphibians.
Rundquist and Collins (1977) and Collins and Caldwell (1978) reported an adult Mudpuppy (KU 174546) discovered while being consumed by a Common Watersnake (Nerodia sipedon) in a shallow area of Shoal Creek at Schermerhorn Park, Cherokee County during April.

Remarks
First reported from Kansas by Cragin from Neosho Falls (Woodson County; collected by Colonel Goss) and near Iola (Allen County; collected by Bert Casmire, a student at the University of Kansas). The reports appeared in two publications with identical content in 1885 (first in the Washburn College Laboratory of Natural History and later in the Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science). Both of the localities list would fall under the 'N. louisiensis' form (see below). Gloyd (1928) reported the first specimens 'N. maculosus' form based on two specimens collected on trot lines on the Marais des Cygnes River in Franklin County on 15 and 18 April and deposited in the collection at Ottawa University. None of the preceding specimens are currently known to exist. The oldest extant specimen is a 'maculosus' form (KU 805) from the Marais des Cygnes River in Franklin County collected in 1916 by Edward H. Taylor. The oldest 'louisiensis' form (KU 16913) from the 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) west of Fall River in Greenwood County collected on 10 April 1932 by Claude W. Hibbard. 
An obligate aquatic salamander, the Mudpuppy is incapable of surviving for extended periods of time outside of water. As such, they are especially sensitive to environmental changes. The implementation of a continued systematic survey regime at both historic and new localities is needed to adequately assess the status of this salamander in the state. Little is known about this salamander in the state because they are difficult to collect.
Viosca (1938) described Necturus louisiensis from Louisiana, and specimens from the Arkansas River drainages (Neosho/Spring/Grand and Verdigris) may be assignable to this taxon. In general Necturus louisiensis is smaller, has a lighter colored belly, and has reduced ventral spotting.
Recently there has been renewed movement toward considering those populations from the Neosho and Verdigris drainages in Kansas as Necturus louisiensis. Collins, (1991) considered N. louisiensis to be distinct from N. maculosus on the basis of their allopatry and diagnosability. Chabarria et. al (2018), discussed the range and phylogenetics of this species, recognizing N. louisiensis and redelimiting it to include many populations formerly associated with N. maculosus in the Ohio and Tennessee River drainages.
Based on a captive specimen, Snider and Bowler (1992) reported a maximum longevity for the Mudpuppy of four years.

References

Rafinesque, Constantine S. 1818. Further account of discoveries in natural history, in the western states. The American Monthly Magazine and Critical Review 4:39-42.

Cragin, Francis W. 1885. Recent additions to the list of Kansas reptiles and batrachians, with further notes on species previously reported. Bulletin of the Washburn College Laboratory of Natural History 1(3):100-103.

Cragin, Francis W. 1885. Second contribution to the herpetology of Kansas, with observations on the Kansas fauna. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science 9:136-140.

Gloyd, Howard K. 1928. The amphibians and reptiles of Franklin County, Kansas. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science 31:115-141.

Smith, Hobart M. 1933. The Amphibians of Kansas. Thesis. University of Kansas, Lawrence. 383 pp.

Smith, Hobart M. 1934. The Amphibians of Kansas. The American Midland Naturalist 15(4):377-527.

Viosca, Percy, Jr. 1938. A new waterdog from central Louisiana. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 51:143-146.

Anderson, Paul. 1942. Amphibians and reptiles of Jackson County, Missouri. Bulletin of the Chicago Academy of Sciences 6(11):203-222.

Lane, Henry H. 1945. A survey of the fossil vertebrates of Kansas, Part II. Amphibia. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science 48(3):286-316.

Hall, Henry H. and Hobart M. Smith. 1947. Selected records of reptiles and amphibians from southeastern Kansas. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science 49(4):447-454.

Smith, Hobart M. 1950. Handbook of Amphibians and Reptiles of Kansas. University of Kansas, Museum of Natural History, Miscellaneous Publication (2):336.

Brumwell, Malcolm J. 1951. An ecological survey of the Fort Leavenworth Military Reservation. The American Midland Naturalist 45(1):187-231.

Schmidt, Karl P. 1953. A Check List of North American Amphibians and Reptiles. 6th Edition. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, Illinois. 280 pp.

Smith, Hobart M. 1956. Handbook of Amphibians and Reptiles of Kansas. Second edition. University of Kansas Museum of Natural History Miscellaneous Publication (9):1-356.

Brame, Arden H. 1957. A list of the world's recent caudata. Privately Published, Los Angeles, California.. 24 pp.

Brame, Arden H. 1957. A list of the world's Recent caudata. Privately Published, University of Southern California. 31 pp.

Hecht, Max K. 1958. A synopsis of the mudpuppies of Eastern North America. Proceedings of the Staten Island Institute of Arts and Sciences 21(1):1-37.

Choate, Jerry R. 1967. Wildlife in the Wakarusa Watershed of Northeastern Kansas. Kansas Biological Survey, Lawrence. 46 pp.

Gier, Herschel T. 1967. Vertebrates of the Flint Hills. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science 70(1):51-59.

Collins, Joseph T. 1974. Amphibians and Reptiles in Kansas. University of Kansas Museum of Natural History Public Education Series (1):283 pp.

Karns, Daryl, Ray E. Ashton, Jr., and Thomas Swearingen. 1974. Illustrated Guide to Amphibians and Reptiles in Kansas: An Identification Manual. University of Kansas Publications Museum of Natural History Public Education Series(2):viii + 18.

Rundquist, Eric M. 1976. Field checklist (of) amphibians and reptiles of Kansas. Kansas Herpetological Society, Lawrence.

Rundquist, Eric M. and Joseph T. Collins. 1977. The amphibians of Cherokee County, Kansas. Kansas Biological Survey, Lawrence. 12 pp.

Perry, Janice. 1977. Kansas herps needed. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (18):2-3.

Curl, Richard L. 1978. Final Environmental Statement: Milford Lake Kansas operation and maintenance. US Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District. 158 pp.

Collins, Joseph T. and Janalee P. Caldwell. 1978. New records of fishes, amphibians, and reptiles in Kansas for 1977. Technical Publication of the State Biological Survey of Kansas 6:70-88.

Brame, Arden H., Jr. II, Ronald Hochnadel, Hobart M. Smith, and Rozella B. Smith. 1978. Bionumeric codes for amphibians and reptiles of the world. I. Salamanders. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science 81(1):43-56.

Collins, Joseph T. 1982. Amphibians and Reptiles in Kansas. 2nd edition. University of Kansas Museum of Natural History Public Education Series (8).

Collins, Joseph T. 1983. New records of fishes, amphibians, and reptiles in Kansas for 1982 . Technical Publication of the State Biological Survey of Kansas 13:9-21.

Ireland, Patrick H. and Ronald Altig. 1983. Key to the gilled salamander larvae and larviform adults of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Southwestern Naturalist 28(3):271-274.

Brown, Kenneth L. 1984. Pomona: A plains village variant in eastern Kansas and western Missouri. Dissertation. University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas. 519 pp.

Secor, Stephen M. and Charles C. Carpenter. 1984. Distribution maps of Oklahoma reptiles. Oklahoma Herpetological Society Special Publication (3):1-57.

Altig, Ronald and Patrick H. Ireland. 1984. A key to salamander larvae and larviform adults of the United States and Canada. Herpetologica 40(2):212-218.

Cooper, John E. and Ray E. Ashton, Jr. 1985. The Necturus lewisi Study: Introduction, selected literature review, and comments on the hydrologic units and their faunas. Brimleyana (10):1-12.

Capron, Marty B. 1985. Thunder snakes, blow vipers, and others. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (60):9-10.

Collins, Joseph T. 1989. New records of amphibians and reptiles in Kansas for 1988. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (75):15-18.

Collins, Joseph T. 1990. Maximum size records for Kansas amphibians and reptiles. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (81):13-17.

Conant, Roger and Joseph T. Collins. 1991. Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America. 3rd ed. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts.

Taggart, Travis W. 1992. KHS field trips. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (91):3.

Collins, Joseph T. and Suzanne L. Collins. 1993. Amphibians and Reptiles in Kansas. Third Edition. University Press of Kansas, Lawrence, Lawrence. 397 pp.

Harkavy, R. 1994. Mudpuppies. Reptile & Amphibian Magazine (May-June):59-63.

Moriarty, Emily C. and Joseph T. Collins. 1995. First known occurrence of amphibian species in Kansas. Kansas Herpetological Society Newsletter (100):28-30.

Rakestraw, J. 1996. Spring herp counts: A Kansas tradition. Reptile & Amphibian Magazine (March-April):75-80.

Conant, Roger and Joseph T. Collins. 1998. Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America. 3rd ed, expanded. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts.

Powell, Robert, Joseph T Collins, and Errol D Hooper Jr. 1998. A Key to Amphibians & Reptiles of the Continental United States and Canada. Univ Press of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas. 131 pp.

Gamble, Jerre. 1998. Marais des Cygnes National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Hartford, Kansas. 91 pp.

Kingsbury, Bruce and Joanna Gibson. 2002. Habitat Management Guidelines for Amphibians and Reptiles of the Midwest. Publication of Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, Address not given. 152 pp.

Fassbender, Ron and Dreux J. Watermolen. 2002. Bird predation on the Mudpuppy (Necturus maculosus maculosus). Bulletin of the Chicago Herpetological Society 37(8):137-138.

Taggart, Travis W. 2003. Geographic distribution: Necturus louisianensis. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (5):10.

Taggart, Travis W. 2003. Kansas Herpetological Society 2003 spring field trip. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (5):3-4.

Collins, Joseph T. 2004. New records of amphibians, turtles, and reptiles in Kansas for 2003. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (9):8-11.

Taggart, Travis W. 2004. Life history. Necturus louisianensis. New maximum length for entire range. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (10):11.

Taggart, Travis W. 2006. Distribution and status of Kansas herpetofauna in need of information. State Wildlife Grant T7. Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, Pratt. vii + 106 pp.

Taggart, Travis W. 2008. KHS 2008 spring field trip. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (25):2-3.

Collins, Joseph T., Suzanne L. Collins, and Travis W. Taggart. 2010. Amphibians, Reptiles, and Turtles of Kansas. Eagle Mountain Publishing., Provo, Utah. 400 pp.

Murrow, Daniel G. 2010. Kansas Herpetological Society spring field trip. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (33):2-3.

George, Steven G. and William T. Slack. 2010. Evidence of a contact zone for Mudpuppies (Necturus sp.) in the lower Mississippi River basin. Reptiles & Amphibians 17(3):156-157.

Taggart, Travis W. 2011. Kansas Herpetological Society 2011 spring field trip to be held in Chautauqua County. Journal of Kansas Herpetology (37):5-7.

Rohweder, Megan R. 2012. Spatial conservation prioritization of Kansas for terrestrial vertebrates. Thesis. Fort Hays State University, Hays, Kansas. 151 pp.

Powell, Robert, Joseph T Collins, and Errol D Hooper Jr. 2012. Key to the Herpetofauna of the Continental United States and Canada: Second Edition, Revised and Updated. Univ Press of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas. 152 pp.

Taggart, Travis W. 2014. Recent scientific and standard English name changes effecting the Kansas herpetofauna. Collinsorum 3(2-4):9-10.

Rohweder, Megan R. 2015. Kansas Wildlife Action Plan. Ecological Services Section, Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism in cooperation with the Kansas Biological Survey. 176 pp.

Powell, Robert, Roger Conant, and Joseph T. Collins. 2016. Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern and Central North America. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston. 494 pp.

Taggart, Travis W. and J. Daren Riedle. 2017. A Pocket Guide to Kansas Amphibians, Turtles and Lizards. Great Plains Nature Center, Wichita, Kansas. 69 pp.

Crother, Brian I. (editor). 2017. Scientific and Standard English Names of Amphibians and Reptiles of North America North of Mexico, with Comments Regarding Confidence in Our Understanding. Eighth edition. Herpetological Circulars (43):1-102.

Nelson, Stephen K., Matthew L. Niemiller, and Benjamin M. Fitzpatrick. 2017. Co-occurrence and hybridization between Necturus maculosus and a heretofore unknown Necturus in the Southern Appalachians. Journal of Herpetology 51(4):559-566.

Chabarria, Ryan E., Christopher M. Murray, Paul E. Molerm, Henry L. Bart Jr., Brian I. Crother, and Craig Guyer. 2017. Evolutionary insights into the North American Necturus beyeri complex (Amphibia: Caudata) based on molecular genetic and morphological analyses. Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research 56(3):352–363.

Powell, Robert, Joseph T Collins, and Errol D Hooper Jr. 2019. Key to the Herpetofauna of the Continental United States and Canada. Third Edition. Univ Press of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas. 192 pp.

Buchanan, Jennifer L. 2020. Diet of the Mudpuppy (Necturus maculosus) in eastern Kansas. Thesis. Emporia State Univeristy, Emporia, Kansas.. 50 pp.

Autz, Justin J. 2020. Distribution, habitat, and seasonal activity of the Mudpuppy (Necturus maculosus) in eastern Kansas. Thesis. Emporia State Univeristy, Emporia, Kansas.. 67 pp.

Daniel, Richard E. and Brian S. Edmond. 2020. Atlas of Missouri Amphibians and Reptiles for 2019. Privately printed, Columbia, Missouri. 86 pp.

Riedle, J. Daren. 2020. Revisiting Kansas Herpetological Society field trip and Herp Count data: Distributional patterns and trend data of Kansas amphibians and reptiles. Collinsorum 9(1):7-16.

Autz, Justin J., Alexis F. L. A. Powell, Jennifer L. Buchanan, Michael S. Hahr, Lynnette M. Sievert, David R. Edds, and J. Daren Riedle. 2021. Geographic distribution: Necturus maculosus; Kansas. Herpetological Review 52(1):74-75.

Last Updated: 04/08/2025 8:17:47 AM CT

THE CENTER FOR NORTH AMERICAN HERPETOLOGY — Accessed: Tuesday 09 June 2026 13:04 CT