Description: The greater siren is the third longest salamander in the Western Hemisphere. S. lacertina is paedomorphic, as are all sirens. They lack hindlimbs as well as a pelvic girdle, and have external gills all throughout their lives along with small lungs. They lack eyelids, and have an unfused pectoral girdle. Greater sirens measure around 0.59 inches in length upon hatching and then grow to lengths ranging from 7 to 38 inches. Weight can range from 1.9 to 35.3 ounces. Coloration varies throughout their range, but they are generally an olive or gray color with small yellow or green dots on their sides. They have about 36 to 40 costal grooves between their armpits and their cloaca. Younger sirens also have a light stripe along their sides, which fades with age. The front legs, each with four toes, are so small that they can be hidden in the gills.
Habitat: Greater sirens live in wetlands, preferring those with a slow or nonexistent current and a thick layer of organic material. They are capable of inhabiting seasonal and permanent wetlands given their ability to aestivate, and will burrow into mud if their wetland dries up. They are predominately found in the deep benthic zone where aquatic insects are most abundant. Associated habitat for greater sirens includes vegetative ditches, and various other forms of slow, or stagnant bodies of water. Often during the day, they seek refuges from predators and are found under logs and various other structures.
Range: Greater sirens inhabit the coastal plain from Washington, D.C., to Florida and Alabama. A population of sirens in the Rio Grande around Texas and Tamaulipas in Mexico was tentatively determined to be S. lacertina; however, recent studies have refuted this claim.
Diet: Greater sirens are carnivorous and prey upon invertebrates (such as insects, crustaceans, gastropods, bivalves, spiders, molluscs, and crayfish) and aquatic vertebrates (such as small fish) with a possible preference for molluscs, although they have been observed to eat vegetation such as algae. In addition, materials that are non-animal were found in their digestive tract added to amounts of 75% or greater.
Reproduction: Their spermatozoa possess a pair of flagella, and their courtship behavior is unknown. Mating occurs in February and March. After the eggs have been laid, the father will continuously fan its tail back and forth over or through the nest. The father will aggressively guard the nest from potential threats, including other sirens, and even the mother of the clutch. After 2 months, the eggs hatch, and the fathers depart from the nest. Youth live in shallower water than adults, often among the roots of water hyacinths.
Status: Listed as Least Concern in view of its relatively wide distribution, tolerance of a degree of habitat modification and presumed large population.
Disclaimer: ITIS taxonomy is based on the latest scientific consensus available, and is provided as a general reference source for interested parties. However, it is not a legal authority for statutory or regulatory purposes. While every effort has been made to provide the most reliable and up-to-date information available, ultimate legal requirements with respect to species are contained in provisions of treaties to which the United States is a party, wildlife statutes, regulations, and any applicable notices that have been published in the Federal Register. For further information on U.S. legal requirements with respect to protected taxa, please contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
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