Mudpuppy Info

A few weeks ago I was looking up some info on Mudpuppies. The MN DNR ask to send information if we had any, to the contact person below. I shot off an email and here’s the response I received. Feel free to use her email address if you have info for your area.

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Great – thanks so much for taking the time to send me a note! I had good luck surveying for mudpuppies right below Lock and Dam 1, 2, & 3 this winter. I haven’t had time to do much sampling below L & D 3 other than a few spots by West Newton/Kellogg, so I’m curious as to their status further downstream toward the Iowa border. They certainly seem to be doing well upstream into the St Croix.

If you ever catch/see any in other places, please let me know. Besides the St Croix and the sections of the Mississippi I mentioned, we know very little about their current distribution and abundance in the state.

Have a great holiday weekend!

-Krista

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Krista Larson, Ph.D.

Nongame Research Biologist

Division of Ecological and Water Resources

Minnesota Dept. of Natural Resources

500 Lafayette Rd N, Box 25

St. Paul, MN 55155

[email protected]

Phone: (651) 259-5120

Fax: (651) 296-1811

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And here I thought maybe this was going to be in the recipe forum. We see them down on pools 8 and 9 sometimes, but certainly not as frequently as we used to.

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And here I thought maybe this was going to be in the recipe forum. We see them down on pools 8 and 9 sometimes, but certainly not as frequently as we used to.

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I think that would be hush puppys

I am laughing so hard I kinda feel like a sick puppy

Thanks for the info Brian, if I run into any on the big muddy I will certainly document it…

Not MN but the Chippewa River from Eau Claire past Durand has an abundant population. Checked a minnow trap earlier this summer and it had 8 mudpuppys (mudpuppi?) in it. I think they are a protected species in WI that you are supposed to release right away…?????

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This species is not protected in Minnesota, although it is a Species in Greatest Conservation Need and appears to be declining in many parts of its national range. It is also the only known host for the larval form of the rare salamander mussel (Simpsoniconcha ambigua), a Threatened Species in Minnesota.Major threats to mudpuppy populations include loss of habitat and damage to habitat from siltation, dredging, damming, and pollution. Some chemicals introduced into waterways, particularly TFM used to kill invasive lampreys, are fatal to mudpuppies. Water and substrate quality are also important for mudpuppy prey: crayfish, small fish, earthworms, and aquatic invertebrates. Though not yet thoroughly studied, overharvesting for bait or biological supply companies may reduce some populations. Most reports of mudpuppies are typically generated from anglers in the fall, winter, and spring when this species feeds heavily. People who catch mudpuppies on hook and line will often kill them because of the erroneous belief that they are poisonous or venomous, or some anglers are simply unfamiliar with them. Mudpuppies, though extremely slimy, are neither poisonous nor venomous, and the hook can safely be removed as with fish. If the hook has been swallowed, it may be best to cut the line as far back into the mouth as possible before release. This species is relatively easy to detect in lakes using traps but seemingly difficult to capture in its eastern river and stream habitats using similar techniques. Therefore, any specimens caught in the state should be photographed before release and reported to the Department of Natural Resources to gain better knowledge of mudpuppy distribution and abundance in Minnesota. Reports may be sent to Krista Larson or call the report line at 651-259-5076.

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And in our partner state…

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Mudpuppies (Necturus maculosus), a species of special concern in Wisconsin

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I can’t tell what “special concern” means in WI, but I’m guessing they would prefer we not boil them in 7-up.

WI DNR Link<

Thanks for the link and good info!

I should dig up the picture I got from pool 2. My nephew got a nice one.

They breed in late fall and spawn in June? Does that mean they get it on in fall and the female carries the sperm (grow up) or fertilized eggs until spring when she lays them? I assume they aren’t “livebearers” giving birth to little puppies.

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NM, I should Google first.

Reproduction

Mudpuppies form mating aggregations in the fall in shallow water. Males join females in sheltered areas under rocks or logs in shallow water. Males swim and crawl around the females and eventually deposit a 1 cm spermatophore. Females pick up the spermatophores in their cloaca, where it is stored until spring. (Harding, 2000)

Mating System monogamous polygynous

Courtship and mating take place in the fall, but some southern populations breed primarily in winter. Fertilization is internal, with the female taking up the male’s spermatophore in her cloaca and storing it there until fertilization in the spring. In spring, females excavate nest cavities and suspend from 18 to 180 eggs from the nest cavity ceiling. Nest cavities are constructed in areas with rocks, logs, or other debris for shelter and in water that is 10 cm to 3 m in depth. Eggs are between 5 and 11 mm in diameter. Once hatched, larvae are 20 to 25 mm in length. It takes 4 to 6 years for a mudpuppy to reach sexual maturity, at a body length of about 20 cm. (“University of Georgia. Mudpuppy or Waterdog, Necturus maculosus”, 1999; Cook, 1984; Harding, 2000; Petranka, 1998)

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Interesting