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Amphibia    Caudata    Cryptobranchidae  

Hellbender
Cryptobranchus alleganiensis (Sonnini de Manoncourt and Latreille, 1801)

Current SSAR Comments:
The authority has been revised to reflect the original publication of this taxon name. Hime (2017, Ph.D. dissertation, University of Kentucky, Lexington) presented detailed genomic evidence that this taxon consists of five well-defined species-level geographic genetic lineages but did not propose taxonomic changes in his unpublished work. Frétey and Raffaëlli (2021, Bionomina 25: 35–51) discussed the nomenclatural status of these populations, allocating C. alleganiensis to the Tennessee River drainage populations, C. bishopi to the Ozark populations, and C. horrida (Barton, 1807) to the Ohio River drainage populations. The distinct species in the Kanawha/New and Missouri River drainages each require new names.

Range maps are based on curated specimens and provided gratis by CNAH.
(Created by Travis W. Taggart; Version: 2023.09.21.09.23.13)
Download GeoJSON polygon range file: - 4.42 MB

First instance(s) of published English names:
Alligator (Salamandra horrida: Barton, Benjamin S. 1814. A Memoir Concerning an Animal of the Class of Reptilia, or Amphibia, which is known, in the United States, by the name of Alligator and Hell-bender. Griggs and Dickinson, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 27pp.); Tweeg (Salamandra horrida: Barton, Benjamin S. 1814. A Memoir Concerning an Animal of the Class of Reptilia, or Amphibia, which is known, in the United States, by the name of Alligator and Hell-bender. Griggs and Dickinson, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 27pp.); Hell-bender (Salamandra horrida: Barton, Benjamin S. 1814. A Memoir Concerning an Animal of the Class of Reptilia, or Amphibia, which is known, in the United States, by the name of Alligator and Hell-bender. Griggs and Dickinson, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 27pp.); Leverian Water-Newt (Salamandra horrida: Barton, Benjamin S. 1814. A Memoir Concerning an Animal of the Class of Reptilia, or Amphibia, which is known, in the United States, by the name of Alligator and Hell-bender. Griggs and Dickinson, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 27pp.); Mud-devil (Menopoma alleghaniensis: Harlan, Richard. 1827. Genera of North American Reptilia, and a synopsis of the species Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences Philidelphia 5(2):317-372); Ground-puppy (Menopoma alleghaniensis: Harlan, Richard. 1827. Genera of North American Reptilia, and a synopsis of the species Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences Philidelphia 5(2):317-372); Young Alligator (Menopoma alleghaniensis: Harlan, Richard. 1827. Genera of North American Reptilia, and a synopsis of the species Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences Philidelphia 5(2):317-372); Hell-bender (Menopoma alleghaniensis: Harlan, Richard. 1827. Genera of North American Reptilia, and a synopsis of the species Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences Philidelphia 5(2):317-372); Large Hellbender (Abranchus horridus: Gray, John E. 1830. A synopsis of the species of the class reptilia. Pages 1-110 in The Animal Kingdom Arranged in Conformity with its Organization by the Baron Cuvier, member of teh Institute of France, with Additional Descriptions of all the Species Hitherto Named, and of many not before noticed. Ninth Volume. Whittaker, Treacher, and Company, London, England. pp.); Gigantic Salamander of Bartram (Abranchus alleghaniensis: Griffith, Edward and Edward Pidgeon. 1831. The class reptilia arranged by the Baron Cuvier, with specific descriptions. Part 2. Whittaker, Treacher, and Company, London. 1-481pp.); Great Salamander of North America (Salamandra gigantia: Griffith, Edward and Edward Pidgeon. 1831. The class reptilia arranged by the Baron Cuvier, with specific descriptions. Part 2. Whittaker, Treacher, and Company, London. 1-481pp.); Hellbender (Salamandra gigantia: Griffith, Edward and Edward Pidgeon. 1831. The class reptilia arranged by the Baron Cuvier, with specific descriptions. Part 2. Whittaker, Treacher, and Company, London. 1-481pp.); Allegany Hell-bender (Menopoma alleghaniensis: De Kay, James E. 1842. Zoology of New-York, or, The New-York Fauna: Comprising Detailed Descriptions of All the Animals Hitherto Observed within the State of New-York, with Brief Notices of those Occasionally Found Near its Borders, and Accompanied by Appropriate Illustrations. Volume 1, Part 3 (Reptiles and Amphibians). W. & A. White & J. Visscher, Albany, New York. pp.); Hellbender (Protonopsis horrida: Royal College of Surgeons of England. 1859. Descriptive catalogue of the specimens of natural history in spirit contained in the Museum of the Royal college of surgeons of England. Vertebrata: Pisces, Reptilia, Aves, Mammalia. Taylor and Francis, London, England. pp.); Menopome (Protonopsis horrida: Royal College of Surgeons of England. 1859. Descriptive catalogue of the specimens of natural history in spirit contained in the Museum of the Royal college of surgeons of England. Vertebrata: Pisces, Reptilia, Aves, Mammalia. Taylor and Francis, London, England. pp.); Alleghany Hellbender (Menopoma alleghaniensis: Allen, J. A. 1869. Catalogue of the reptiles and batrachians found in the vicinity of Springfield, Mass., with notices of all the other species known to inhabit the state. Proceedings of the Boston Society of Natural Hisotry 12(1868-1869):171-204); Hellbender (Menopoma alleghaniense: Jordan, David Starr. 1876. Manual of the Vertebrates of the Northern United States: Including the District East of the Mississippi River, and North of North Carolina and Tennessee, Exclusive of Marine Species. Jansen, McClurg, and Company, Chicago, Illinois.. 342pp.); Alleghany Hell-Bender (Menopoma allegheniense: Yarrow, Henry C. 1876. List of Skeletons and Crania in the Section of Comparative Anatomy of the United States Army Medical Museum for use during the International Exhibition of 1876 in Connection with the Representation of the Medical Department U.S. Army. Army Medical Museum, Washington, D. C. pp.); Hellbender (Menopoma alleghaniense: Jordan, David S. 1878. Manual of the Vertebrates of the Northern United States: Including the District East of the Mississippi River, and North of North Carolina and Tennessee, Exclusive of Marine Species. Second Edition, Revised, and Enlarged. Jansen, McClurg & Company, Chicago. pp.); Big Water Lizard (Menopoma alleghaniense: Jordan, David S. 1878. Manual of the Vertebrates of the Northern United States: Including the District East of the Mississippi River, and North of North Carolina and Tennessee, Exclusive of Marine Species. Second Edition, Revised, and Enlarged. Jansen, McClurg & Company, Chicago. pp.); Hellbender (Menopoma allegheniense: Yarrow, Henry C. 1882. Check list of North American Reptilia and Batrachia with catalogue of specimens in U. S. National Museum. Bulletin of the United States National Museum (24):1-249); Tennessee Hellbender (Menopoma fuscum: Yarrow, Henry C. 1882. Check list of North American Reptilia and Batrachia with catalogue of specimens in U. S. National Museum. Bulletin of the United States National Museum (24):1-249); Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleghaniensis: Garman, H. 1892. A synopsis of the reptiles and amphibians of Illinois. Illinois Laboratory of Natural History Bulletin 3():215-403); Alleghany Salamander (Cryptobranchus alleghaniensis: Hay, Oliver P. 1892. Batrachians and Reptiles of the State of Indiana. Pages 409-624 in 17th Annual Report of the Indiana Department of Geology and Natural Resources, William B. Burford, Printer and Binder, Indianapolis, Indiana. pp.); Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleghaniensis: Hay, Oliver P. 1892. Batrachians and Reptiles of the State of Indiana. Pages 409-624 in 17th Annual Report of the Indiana Department of Geology and Natural Resources, William B. Burford, Printer and Binder, Indianapolis, Indiana. pp.); Alleghany Salamander (Cryptobranchus alleghaniensis: Hay, Oliver P. 1892. Batrachians and Reptiles of the State of Indiana. Pages 409-624 in 17th Annual Report of the Indiana Department of Geology and Natural Resources, William B. Burford, Printer and Binder, Indianapolis, Indiana. pp.); Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleghaniensis: Hay, Oliver P. 1892. Batrachians and Reptiles of the State of Indiana. Pages 409-624 in 17th Annual Report of the Indiana Department of Geology and Natural Resources, William B. Burford, Printer and Binder, Indianapolis, Indiana. pp.); Brown Hellbender (Cryptobranchus fuscus: Rhoads, Samuel N. 1895. Contributions to the zoology of Tennessee. No. 1, Reptiles and amphibians. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia 47():376-407); Hell Bender (Cryptobranchus allegheniensis: Brown, Arthur, E. 1902. Report of the Board of Directors. Pages 5-22 in Thirtieth Annual Report of the Board of Directors of the Zoological Society of Philadelphia. Allen, Lane, and Scott, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. pp.); Mud-devil (Crytobranchus alleghaniensis: Hurter, Julius. 1911. Herpetology of Missouri. Transactions of the Academy of Science St. Louis 20(5):59-274); Hellbender (Crytobranchus alleghaniensis: Hurter, Julius. 1911. Herpetology of Missouri. Transactions of the Academy of Science St. Louis 20(5):59-274); Hell-bender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis: Stejneger, Leonard and Thomas Barbour. 1917. A Checklist of North American Amphibians and Reptiles. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts. pp.); Ozark Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis: Schmidt, Karl P. 1953. A Check List of North American Amphibians and Reptiles. 6th Edition. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, Illinois. 280pp.); Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis: Conant, Roger, Fred R. Cagle, Coleman J. Goin, Charles H. Lowe, Wilfred T. Neill, M. Graham Netting, Karl P. Schmidt, Charles E. Shaw, Robert C. Stebbins, and Charles M. Bogert. 1956. Common names for North American amphibians and reptiles. Copeia 1956(3):172-185); Ozark Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis bishopi: Conant, Roger, Fred R. Cagle, Coleman J. Goin, Charles H. Lowe, Wilfred T. Neill, M. Graham Netting, Karl P. Schmidt, Charles E. Shaw, Robert C. Stebbins, and Charles M. Bogert. 1956. Common names for North American amphibians and reptiles. Copeia 1956(3):172-185); Eastern Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis: Collins, Joseph T., James E. Huheey, James L. Knight, and Hobart M. Smith. 1978. Standard common and current scientific names for North American amphibians and reptiles. Herpetological Circulars (7):36);

Taxon Links:

  
Catalog of American Amphibians and Reptiles
  
Amphibian Species of the World
  
NatureServe
  
iNaturalist
  
GenBank
  
USGS - Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database

Pertinent LIterature:
1801 Sonnini de Manoncourt, Charles S. and Pierre A. Latreille. An. X. Histoire Naturelle des Reptiles, avec Figures dissines d'apres Nature. [Natural History of Reptiles, with Figures drawn from Nature]. Tome IV. Chez Deterville, rue du Battoir, Paris, France. 410pp.
2017 Hime, Paul M. Genomic perspectives of amphibian evolution across multiple phylogenetic scales. Dissertation. University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky. 256pp.
2021 Fretey, Thierry and Jean Raffaelli Barton and the forgotten description of Salamandra horrida (Amphibia, Urodela): story of a rediscovery. Bionomina 25(1):35-51

THE CENTER FOR NORTH AMERICAN HERPETOLOGY — Accessed: Thursday 30 January 2025 02:10 CT