Hellbender

Cryptobranchus alleganiensis

The largest salamander in the Americas, a flat, wrinkly river giant that breathes mostly through its skin.

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About the Hellbender

Hellbenders are the largest salamanders in the Americas, 12 to 29 inches long and up to 5 pounds. They have flat heads and bodies, short legs, tiny eyes and a long tail like a rudder. They live in clean, fast rivers from New York to Illinois and south to Georgia and Alabama, spending their whole lives in water. They hide under rocks and ambush crayfish and other small animals.^[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name: Cryptobranchus alleganiensis^[1]
Size: 12 to 29 inches long.^[1]
Weight: Up to 5 pounds.^[1]
Lifespan: Up to about 25 years in the wild.^[1]
Diet: Carnivore. Mostly crayfish, plus other invertebrates and fish.^[1]
Habitat: Clean, swift-flowing rivers with large rocks.^[1]
Where it lives: Eastern U.S., from New York to Illinois and south to Georgia and Alabama, plus Missouri.^[1]
Group life: Solitary. Nocturnal.^[1]
Babies: 200 to 400 eggs guarded by the male for 68 to 75 days.^[1]
Conservation status: Vulnerable (IUCN Red List, assessed 2021).^[2]

Fun facts

Hellbenders get up to 95 percent of their oxygen through their skin.^[1]
Their slimy mucus tastes bad to predators.^[1]
Fathers guard the eggs.^[1]

Vocabulary

amphibian: A cold-blooded animal, such as a frog or salamander, that usually starts life in water and has moist skin.
ambush predator: A hunter that hides and waits for prey to come close.
vestigial: A body part that no longer does its original job.
nocturnal: Active mainly at night.
vulnerable: A conservation label meaning a species faces a high risk of dying out in the wild.

See it in person

Smithsonian's National ZooWashington, D.C. · Reptile Discovery CenterSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗

These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.

Sources

[1] Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. “Hellbender.” https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/hellbender (accessed 2026-10-08)
[2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Cryptobranchus alleganiensis (Hellbender).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/59077/82473431 (accessed 2026-10-08)

Facts last checked 2026-10-08.

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