THE NECTURUS 3 



Subclass Stegocephalia 

 Subclass Batrachia 



Order Gymnophiona 



Order Urodela (Caudata) 



Order Anura. 



Necturus belongs to the Urodela or tailed amphibians. 

 The suborder Proteida to which it belongs retains the gills 

 permanently. The characters of the family Proteidae are 

 the same as those of the suborder. This genus has two 

 species in the United States, maculosus found in the Missis- 

 sippi Valley and east to the Atlantic and punctatus found 

 only in the southeast. 



HABITS * 



Much remains to be learned of the habits of this form. 

 It is found in the rivers and lakes where conditions are 

 suitable over the northeastern region of the United States, 

 with a smaller species punctatus, in the southeastern 

 portion. 



The food consists of crayfish, insect larvse and nymphs, 

 small Crustacea, mollusca, an occasional minnow, plant 

 remains and rarely fish eggs. They take a worm readily 

 and are often caught on a hook with this bait. 



In the late fall and winter the cloacal region of both 

 sexes are swollen. At this time they are together in the 

 shallow waters along the shores where they can be seen 

 at night in the light of the "jack," either moving slowly 

 about among the rocks or lying motionless. During the 

 winter they are occasionally seen through the, ice, so it is 

 certain that they are active all winter. 



The eggs are laid in the spring, probably about April. 



It is believed that the females are impregnated by the 



* This information was supplied by Dr. A. R. Calm of the Univer- 

 sity of Illinois Department of Zoology. 



