Saving Slime...

When the Mississippi Slimy Salamander is attacked it will secrete a slimy, glue-like substance from its tail that gets stuck in a predators mouth—causing it to release the salamander.

This is 1 of 13 closely related members in the slimy salamander species complex distributed throughout most the southern and eastern US.

Females faithfully guard their eggs from predators, microbial infections, and rival females—often times not even eating until the eggs hatch 3 months later!

Nests are made under rocks, logs, or in caves and studies have shown that a female may return to the exact same nest site for up to 3 seasons in a row!

Slimies are in the Plethodontid salamander family so they have no lungs and breathe entirely through their skin.

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