Ozark hellbender

The Ozark hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis bishopi) is a subspecies of the hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis). The subspecies is strictly native to the mountain streams of the Ozark Plateau in southern Missouri and northern Arkansas. Its nicknames include lasagna lizard and snot otter. This large salamander grows to a total length (including tail) of 29–57 cm (11–22 in) over a lifespan of 30 years. The Ozark hellbender is a nocturnal predator that hides under large flat rocks and primarily consumes crayfish and small fish. As of 2011, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has listed the subspecies as endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. The population decline of the subspecies is caused by habitat destruction and modification, overutilization, disease and predation, and low reproductive rates. Conservation programs have been put in place to help protect the subspecies.