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Home/Species/ Ozark Hellbender

Cryptobranchus alleganiensis bishopi

Grobman, 1943

Ozark Hellbender

T1T1 (G3T1) Found in 3 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
T1T1Global Rank
Very high - highThreat Impact
Ozark Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis bishopi). Photo by U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Public Domain (U.S. Government Work), via ECOS.
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, https://www.usa.gov/government-works
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.102421
Element CodeAAAAC01012
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSubspecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAmphibia
OrderCaudata
FamilyCryptobranchidae
GenusCryptobranchus
Concept Reference
Collins, J. T. 1990. Standard common and current scientific names for North American amphibians and reptiles. 3rd ed. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. Herpetological Circular No. 19. 41 pp.
Taxonomic Comments
See taxonomic comments under full species. Collins (1991) elevated this form to species status. Molecular data presented by Crowhurst et al. (2011) do not support the monophyly of the subspecies, but no formal change in the taxonomy was suggested (Crother 2017). See taxonomy comment for C. alleganiensis.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2021-03-18
Change Date2021-03-18
Edition Date2021-03-15
Edition AuthorsHammerson, G. (2011), rev. B. Young (2021)
Threat ImpactVery high - high
Range Extent5000-20,000 square km (about 2000-8000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences1 - 20
Rank Reasons
This subspecies is limited to a small range where it has suffered extensive long- and short-term declines due to numerous threats. Intrinsic characteristics of the species and the severely impacted habitat pose great challenges to recovery.
Range Extent Comments
This subspecies is restricted to southern Missouri and adjacent northern Arkansas, USA, where it is endemic to the Black and White River drainages. As of 2020, it was extent in Bryant Creek, North Fork White River, Eleven Point, and Current Rivers and likely extirpated in the White (mainstem), Spring, and Jacks Fork Rivers (LaClaire 1993, USFWS 2020).
Occurrences Comments
Few occurrences remain (see trend comments).
Threat Impact Comments
Numerous factors have caused severe declines in this subspecies: dams that caused reduced dissolved oxygen levels in rivers; contamination from gravel, lead, and zinc mining; pollution from human waste, fertilizers, runoff from concentrated livestock feeding operations, and organic chemicals; siltation from logging operations; disturbance from human recreational activities in rivers; historical overutilization for commercial and scientific purposes; disease (chytridiomycosis); and predation from introduced trout (Solis et al. 2007, USFS 2011). In addition, many individuals have been found with morphological abnormalities (Hiler et al. 2005, USFS 2011).

AS of 2020, the major causes of decline are thought to be habitat degradation (by the causes listed above), illegal collection, and disease (USFWS 2020).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Rocky, clear creeks and rivers, usually where there are large shelter rocks. Usually avoids water warmer than 20 C. Males prepare nests beneath large flat rocks or submerged logs.

Ecology

In Missouri, 80% of recaptures were within 30 m of tagging site. Historical density in Missouri was about 400-500 per km of suitable river habitat (Nickerson and Mays 1973, Peterson et al. 1983)and 1-6 per 100 sq m in Ozark streams (Peterson et al. 1988). Surveys in the 2000s revealed densities much lower (USFWS 2011). Larvae often are rare or at least difficult to find.

Reproduction

Lays eggs in late summer or fall; winter breeding has been observed in the Spring River, Arkansas (Peterson et al. 1989). Clutch size averages about 350-500; increases with female body length. Several females may oviposit in same site. Males guard developing eggs. Larvae hatch in 1.5-3 months, lose gills about 18 months after hatching. Sexually mature in 5th or 6th year. Longevity 25+ years.
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN2
ProvinceRankNative
ArkansasS1Yes
MissouriS1Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
2 - Agriculture & aquacultureLarge - restrictedModerate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
2.3 - Livestock farming & ranchingLarge - restrictedModerate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
3 - Energy production & miningLarge - restrictedExtreme - seriousHigh (continuing)
3.2 - Mining & quarryingLarge - restrictedExtreme - seriousHigh (continuing)
5 - Biological resource useLarge - restrictedExtreme - moderateHigh (continuing)
5.1 - Hunting & collecting terrestrial animalsLarge - restrictedExtreme - seriousModerate - insignificant/negligible
5.3 - Logging & wood harvestingLarge - restrictedSerious - moderateHigh (continuing)
6 - Human intrusions & disturbanceLarge - smallSerious - moderateHigh (continuing)
6.1 - Recreational activitiesLarge - smallSerious - moderateHigh (continuing)
7 - Natural system modificationsUnknownExtreme or 71-100% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
7.2 - Dams & water management/useUnknownExtreme or 71-100% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseasesPervasive (71-100%)Serious or 31-70% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases———
8.4 - Problematic species/diseases of unknown originPervasive (71-100%)Serious or 31-70% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
9 - PollutionPervasive - restrictedExtreme - moderateHigh (continuing)
9.1 - Domestic & urban waste waterPervasive - restrictedExtreme - moderateHigh (continuing)
9.2 - Industrial & military effluentsUnknownExtreme - moderateHigh - low
9.3 - Agricultural & forestry effluentsPervasive - restrictedExtreme - moderateHigh (continuing)

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Roadless Areas (3)
Arkansas (1)
AreaForestAcres
Clifty CanyonOzark-St. Francis National Forest1,963
Missouri (2)
AreaForestAcres
Irish Rare II Study AreaMark Twain National Forest1,226
Spring Creek Rare II Study AreaMark Twain National Forest4,899
References (37)
  1. Bodinof, C. M., J. T. Briggler, R. E. Junge, J. Beringer, M. D. Wanner, C. D. Schuette, J. Ettling, and J. J. Millspaugh. 2012. Habitat attributes associated with short-term settlement of Ozark hellbender (<i>Cryptobranchus alleganiensis bishopi</i>) salamanders following translocation to the wild. Freshwater Biology 57(1):178-192.
  2. Bodinof, C. M., J. T. Briggler, R. E. Junge, J. Beringer, M. D. Wanner, C. D. Schuette, J. Ettling, R. A. Gitzen, and J. J. Millspaugh. 2012. Postrelease movements of captive-reared Ozark hellbenders (<i>Cryptobranchus alleganiensis bishopi</i>). Herpetologica 68(2):160-173.
  3. Bury, R. B., C. K. Dodd, Jr., and G. M. Fellers. 1980. Conservation of the Amphibia of the United States: a review. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, D.C., Resource Publication 134. 34 pp.
  4. Collins, J. T. 1990. Standard common and current scientific names for North American amphibians and reptiles. 3rd ed. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. Herpetological Circular No. 19. 41 pp.
  5. Collins, J. T. 1991. Viewpoint: a new taxonomic arrangement for some North American amphibians and reptiles. SSAR Herpetol. Review 22:42-43.
  6. Crother, B. I. (editor). 2017. Scientific and standard English names of amphibians and reptiles of North America north of Mexico, with comments regarding confidence in our understanding. 8th edition. SSAR Herpetological Circular 43:1-104. [Updates in SSAR North American Species Names Database at: https://ssarherps.org/cndb]
  7. Crowhurst, R. S., K. M. Faries, J. Collantes, J. T. Briggler, J. B. Koppelman, and L. S. Eggert. 2011. Genetic relationships of hellbenders in the Ozark highlands of Missouri and conservation implications for the Ozark subspecies (<i>Cryptobranchus alleganiensis bishopi</i>). Conservation Genetics 12(3):637-646.
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  9. Ettling, J. A., M. D. Wanner, C. D. Schuette, S. L. Armstrong, A. S. Pedigo, and J. T. Briggler. 2013. Captive reproduction and husbandry of adult Ozark hellbenders, <i>Cryptobranchus alleganiensis bishopi</i>. Herpetological Review 44(4):605-610.
  10. Figg, D. E. 1993. Missouri Department of Conservation wildlife diversity report, July 1992-June 1993. 75 pp.
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  13. Hiler, W. R., B. A. Wheeler, and S. E. Trauth. 2005. Abnormalities in the Ozark Hellbender (<i>Cryptobranchus alleganiensis bishopi</i>) in Arkansas: a comparison between two rivers with a historical perspective. Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science 59, Article 13:88-94.
  14. Hiler, W. R., B. A. Wheeler, and S. E. Trauth. 2013. The decline of the Ozark Hellbender (<i>Cryptobranchus alleganiensis bishopi</i>) in the Spring River, Arkansas, USA. Herpetological Conservation and Biology 8(1):114-121.
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  22. Peterson, C. L., C. A. Ingersol, and R. F. Wilkinson. 1989a. Winter breeding of <i>Cryptobranchus alleganiensis bishopi</i> in Arkansas. Copeia 1989:1031-1035.
  23. Peterson, C. L., D. E. Metter, and B. T. Miller. 1988. Demography of the hellbender <i>Cryptobranchus alleganiensis</i> in the Ozarks. Am. Midl. Nat. 119:291-303.
  24. Peterson, C. L., J. W. Reed, and R. F. Wilkinson. 1989b. Seasonal food habits of <i>Cryptobranchus alleganiensis </i> (Caudata: Cryptobranchidae). Southwest. Nat. 34:438-441.
  25. Peterson, C. L., R. F. Wilkinson, Jr., M. S. Topping, and D. E. Metter. 1983. Age and growth of the Ozark hellbender. Copeia 1983: 225-231.
  26. Pfingsten, R. A. 1990. The status and distribution of the hellbender, <i>Cryptobranchus alleganiensis </i> in Ohio. Herpetol. Rev. 21:48-50.
  27. Routman, E. 1993. Mitochondrial DNA variation in <i>Cryptobranchus alleganiensis </i>, a salamander with extremely low allozyme diversity. Copeia 1993:407-416.
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  29. Solis, M. E., C. C. Liu, P. Nam, D. K. Niyogi, J. M. Bandeff, and Y-W. Huang. 2007. Occurrence of organic chemicals in two rivers inhabited by Ozark hellbenders (<i>Cryptobranchus alleganiensis bishopi</i>). Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 53(3):426-434.
  30. Unger, S, A. Mathis, and L. Wilkinson. 2013. A comparison of sperm health in declining and stable populations of hellbenders (<i>Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis</i> and <i>C.a. bishopi</i>). The American Midland Naturalist 170(2):382-392.
  31. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 2011. Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Endangered Status for the Ozark Hellbender Salamander. Federal Register 76(194):61956-61978.
  32. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 2012. Recovery Outline for the Ozark Hellbender. Columbia, Missouri. 13 pp.
  33. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 2020. Biological report for the Ozark hellbender (<i>Cryptobranchus alleganiensis bishopi</i>). Version 1.0, March 2, 2020. Midwest Region, Bloomington, Minnesota. 81 pp.
  34. Wheeler, B. A., and S. E. Trauth. 2002a. Distribution survey of the Ozark hellbender, <i>Cryptobranchus alleganiensis bishopi </i>in Arkansas: final report. Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Little Rock, Arkansas. 20 pp.
  35. Wheeler, B. A., and S. E. Trauth. 2002b. Distributional survey of the Ozark hellbender, <i>Cryptobranchus alleganiensis </i><i>bishopi</i>: final report for field season 2001. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Conway, Arkansas. 22 pp.
  36. Wheeler, B. A., E. Prosen, A. Mathis, and R. F. Wilkinson. 2003. Population declines of a long-lived salamander: a 20+-year study of hellbenders, <i>Cryptobranchus alleganiensis</i>. Biological Consevation 109:151-156.
  37. Wheeler, B. A., M. L. McCallum, and S. E. Trauth. 2002. Abnormalities in the Ozark hellbender, <i>Cryptobranchus alleganiensis bishopi</i>. Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science 56:250-252.