Greater siren

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Greater siren
Temporal range: Blancan–present
↓
 [1]

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[2]

Secure  (NatureServe)[3]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Urodela
Family: Sirenidae
Genus: Siren
Species:
S. lacertina
Binomial name
Siren lacertina
Linnaeus, 1766

The greater siren (Siren lacertina) is an amphibian and one of the three members of the genus Siren. The largest of the sirens and one of the largest amphibians in North America, the greater siren resides in the coastal plains of the southeastern United States.

Description

The greater siren is the third longest salamander in the Western Hemisphere.

pectoral girdle.[5] Greater sirens measure around 1.5 cm (0.59 in) in length upon hatching and then grow to lengths ranging from 18 to 97 cm (7 to 38 in).[6][7][8] Weight can range from 55 to 1,000 g (1.9 to 35.3 oz).[9][10] Coloration varies throughout their range, but they are generally an olive or gray color with small yellow or green dots on their sides. They have about 36 to 40 costal grooves between their armpits and their cloaca.[11] Younger sirens also have a light stripe along their sides, which fades with age. The front legs, each with four toes, are so small that they can be hidden in the gills. [citation needed
]

In terms of sensory organs, greater sirens rely on both a modified

Jacobson's organ and a lateral line system over their small eyes. It is possible that they are capable of sensing disturbances in electrical fields.[12]

  • Greater siren skull & hyoid
    Greater siren skull & hyoid
  • Greater siren skeleton
    Greater siren skeleton

Diet

molluscs, and crayfish)[13] and aquatic vertebrates (such as small fish)[13] with a possible preference for molluscs,[11] although they have been observed to eat vegetation such as algae.[14][13] In addition, materials that are non-animal were found in their digestive tract added to amounts of 75% or greater.[15] The oral morphology of the greater siren contribute little to the mastication of food and does not rupture or grind ingested invertebrates, algae, or plants requiring prior fermentation in the gut. [16]

Ecology and behavior

Greater sirens play a crucial role in aquatic food webs and have been described as midlevel predators.

aestivate for multiple years if necessary, burrowing into mud and exuding a cocoon of dead skin cells. This has been seen during times of drought and hydroperiod fluctuations.[19] The record can be up to 3 years.[20] Known predators include the American alligator and the mud snake.[12] Other predators of this species are poorly documented. However, on June 19, 2008 a greater siren was consumed by a two-toed amphiuma, indicating that this species could be an additional predator of the greater siren.[21]

Breeding

Their

water hyacinths.[12]

Distribution and habitat

Greater sirens inhabit the coastal plain from Washington, D.C., to Florida and Alabama.[23] A population of sirens in the Rio Grande around Texas and Tamaulipas in Mexico was tentatively determined to be S. lacertina; however, recent studies have refuted this claim. Greater sirens live in wetlands, preferring those with a slow or nonexistent current and a thick layer of organic material. They are capable of inhabiting seasonal and permanent wetlands given their ability to aestivate,[11] and will burrow into mud if their wetland dries up.[23] They are predominately found in the deep benthic zone where aquatic insects are most abundant.[24] Associated habitat for greater sirens includes vegetative ditches, and various other forms of slow, or stagnant bodies of water. Often during the day, they seek refuges from predators and are found under logs and various other structures.[25]

Interaction with humans

Trapping techniques

S. lacertina is difficult to capture because of their preference for areas with thick vegetation. Standard methods such as dip-netting, seining, and dredges are ineffective in such habitats. The use of aquatic funnel traps, commercially produced to capture crayfish, has been found effective for use on Siren and Amphiuma species and there is no risk of drowning the animals. Each trap consists of the trap body, three funnels, and a neck with a lid at the top.[26]

Conservation

Greater sirens are classified as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, although they have been extirpated from some of their former range due to habitat loss. They are protected under Mexican law and are assigned to the "Special Protection" category.[23]

References

  1. ^ Fossilworks
  2. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T59492A11937094.en
    . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  3. ^ https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.106536/Siren_lacertina
  4. OCLC 1256711146
    .
  5. ^
    ISBN 978-0-12-386919-7
    .
  6. PMID 6815749
    .
  7. ^ Greater Siren – North Carolina. Herpsofnc.org (2007-09-22). Retrieved on 2013-01-03.
  8. ^ Siren intermedia. AmphibiaWeb (2003-12-04). Retrieved on 2013-01-03.
  9. JSTOR 156347
    .
  10. ^ Deyle, Anna C. (2011) Population Genetics of Amphiuma means and Siren lacertina in Central Florida. M.S. Thesis, University of South Florida
  11. ^ a b c d [1]. "Greater Siren (Siren lacertina) Savannah River Ecology Laboratory. University of Georgia.
  12. ^ a b c d McKenzie, Kimberley. "Siren lacertina". Animal Diversity Web. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
  13. ^ a b c "Siren lacertina". Animal Diversity Web.
  14. S2CID 86233204
    .
  15. JSTOR 1443585
    .
  16. ^ Pryor, G. S., German, D. P., & Bjorndal, K. A. (2006). Gastrointestinal Fermentation in Greater Sirens (Siren lacertina). Journal of Herpetology, 40(1), 112–117. https://doi.org/10.1670/163-05A.1
  17. ^ Luhring, Thomas. "POPULATION ECOLOGY OF GREATER SIREN, SIREN LACERTINA". esploro.libs.uga.edu. Retrieved 2023-04-25.
  18. JSTOR 1440485
    .
  19. JSTOR 1447391
    .
  20. JSTOR 3892939
    .
  21. ^ Schalk, Christopher M.; Crawford, Brian A.; Luhring, Thomas M. (2009). "A Note on Predation of the Greater Siren (Siren lacertina)". Bulletin of Chicago Herptologica. 44 (4).
  22. ^ Tomaschke, Phillip (2023). "The Greater Siren: An Overview of Captive Care and Breeding". Responsible Herpetoculture Journal. 1 (7): 9–15.
  23. ^ a b c IUCN. "Siren lacertina". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
  24. doi:10.1163/156853810791069155
    .
  25. ^ Martof, Bernard S. (1973). "Siren lacertina Linnaeus Greater Siren". Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles.
  26. S2CID 22870356
    .

External links
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