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Hellbender

                        HELLBENDER, harmless water-dwelling amphibian of the giant salamander family,
                        the largest salamander in the U.S., sometimes called Allegheny alligator, water
                        dog, or mud puppy. The hellbender lives on the gravelly bottom of the Ohio River and
                        its tributaries, feeding on worms and small crustaceans. Unlike the true mud puppy,
                        which it resembles, this amphibian has internal gills, but breathes mainly through
                        the skin, which is wrinkled on the sides of its body. The hellbender grows as long as
                        61 cm (24 in) and is gray or dark brown. Its head and body are flat and the tail is
                        flattened on the sides to aid in swimming. The female lays about 400 eggs under a
                        stone in August or September, but eats many of them in the 6-week period before
                        they hatch. The male often guards the eggs but may also eat some.