Not an Eel

The Lesser Siren is an aquatic, eel-like salamander. It has no rear legs, and the front legs are reduced with four toes on each leg. The siren has bushy, external gills located on each side of the head. This species is nocturnal and primarily feeds on aquatic invertebrates like crustaceans, amphibian larvae, worms and snails.

Slimy Survival

During the dry seasons the siren burrows into mud, covered in a cocoon of slime in the bottom of streams and rivers. It typically inhabits quiet, shallow and cloudy waterways with abundant vegetation. The loss of wetlands has had the greatest impact on the survival of of sirens.

To learn more, download the Lesser Siren fact sheet.