Greater Siren
Scientific Name: Siren lacertina
Photo Credit: Kevin Stohlgren
The greater siren is a fully aquatic salamander with a thick, eel-like body, external gills, and front limbs with four toes. Adults are typically gray or olive with dark spots and faint greenish-yellow markings along the sides. They inhabit slow-moving freshwater environments like ponds, ditches, and lakes. Mostly active at night, sirens hide during the day in mud, vegetation, or under debris. They feed on a variety of aquatic invertebrates, amphibian eggs and larvae, small fish, and occasionally aquatic plants.
Explore the full species profile, including their habitat, diet, and behavior on Herps of NC.