Head to head
Three-toed Amphiuma vs Two-toed Amphiuma
A three-toed amphiuma and a two-toed amphiuma both look like large, slippery eels rather than salamanders, and telling them apart usually comes down to a genuinely small anatomical detail, the number of toes tipping each stubby limb.
| Three-toed Amphiuma | Two-toed Amphiuma | |
|---|---|---|
| Family | Amphiumidae | Amphiumidae |
| Toes per limb | Three | Two |
| Native range | South-central United States | Southeastern United States |
| Typical length | Up to around 1 metre | Slightly smaller on average |
| Body shape | Long, eel-like, limbs vestigial | Long, eel-like, limbs vestigial |
| Habitat | Slow, vegetated freshwater | Slow, vegetated freshwater |
| Diet | Carnivorous, fish and invertebrates | Carnivorous, fish and invertebrates |
| Conservation status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Three-Toed Amphiuma vs Two-Toed Amphiuma: common questions
What is the easiest way to tell a three-toed amphiuma from a two-toed amphiuma?
The clearest distinguishing feature is directly named in each species' common name, with the three-toed amphiuma having three tiny toes on each vestigial limb compared with two toes on a two-toed amphiuma, though this difference generally requires a fairly close look, since the limbs on both species are already extremely small and easy to overlook at a glance.
Are amphiumas actually eels?
No, despite their long, slippery, eel-like body shape, both the three-toed and two-toed amphiuma are salamanders, amphibians that have retained tiny, largely nonfunctional limbs rather than losing them entirely, distinguishing them from a true eel, which is a fish and has no limbs or limb remnants of any kind.
Do the two amphiuma species live in the same places?
Their ranges overlap in parts of the southeastern United States, though the three-toed amphiuma extends further west into south-central states while the two-toed amphiuma is generally found more toward the southeastern coastal plain, and both favour the same type of slow-moving, heavily vegetated freshwater habitat wherever their ranges occur.