Southern Dwarf Siren
Pseudobranchus axanthus
(click images to enlarge)

Appearance:  Southern Dwarf Sirens range in size from 4 – 6 inches. Their dorsum is dark (olive-black) and has 3 lighter stripes.  The venter is gray and they have a buff lateral stripe bordered on both top and bottom by a light stripe.  The Southern Dwarf Siren has a slender, eel-like body with small, feathery gills behind the head.  Hind legs are absent. The front legs are well developed and each has 3 toes.

Habitat: Southern Dwarf Sirens can be found amongst the roots of water hyacinths and other aquatic vegetation, and in shallow, grassy roadside ditches. This species feeds on small, aquatic invertebrates.

Abundance/Range: Southern Dwarf Sirens range southward from the latitude of northern Lake Okeechobee to the southern tip of the Florida peninsula. This seems to be a rather difficult species to find.