Neuse River waterdog pamphlet

Get to know the Neuse River waterdog 

What do they look like?

Dark brown spots on back and sides. Dark line through the eye. Smooth, slimy skin. Only found in the streams of the Neuse and Tar River systems. 

Why they are declining and why that matters         

Erosion and pollution from development and other human land uses likely limit their ability to reproduce by filling nesting and foraging spaces with silt and muck. These threats also make it difficult to breathe using their external gills. Image of Neuse River waterdog with bright red external gills, elongated body and flat tail. The picture above shows preferable (left) and undesirable (right) water quality for waterdogs. Salamanders are important indicators of healthy water quality. The Neuse River waterdog is ONLY found in the Neuse and Tar River basins in NC, so by preserving their populations, we are maintaining the ecological culture of this region!

Current research

Researchers are working toward understanding why this species is declining, how individual and population health change throughout its range, and what management is needed to help protect it. Our ultimate objective is to promote clean water practices by raising awareness about the Neuse River Waterdog. Image of Neuse River waterdog being held in an outstretched hand facing away from the camera over a body of water. With this species being federally listed as threatened, our research is funded and supported by the USFWS and NCWRC.

We need your help!

People who live and work within the Neuse and Tar River basins can help by supporting and participating in clean water practices that benefit waterdogs, watershed health, and our communities. Image of two larger, adult Neuse River waterdogs and one smaller, juvenile Neuse River waterdog in a clear container filled with water next to a closed minnow trap with a bait bottle and Neuse River waterdog inside. To help with increased sediment: Reduce erosion on your property by leaving trees and plants along the banks of streams to help with stabilization. To maintain healthy water quality: Minimize the use of pesticides, herbicides, and other chemicals. To preserve places for waterdogs to live and reproduce: Do not create dams or stack rocks that restrict water flow.

What is the Neuse River Waterdog? The Neuse River Waterdog (Necturus lewisi) is a permanently aquatic salamander. This means they only live in the water and they keep their external gills into adulthood, which is unlike most other salamanders. Image of one tub on the left contains clear water with lots of decomposing leaves and large, flat rocks and one tub on the right contains turbid water with some leaves, sticks, sand, and gravel. They require large, flowing streams and rivers with many large rocks or logs to hide under, decomposing leaves for young to live in, and minimal silt in the water. They also live for 20+ years!

Contact Information

• Krishna Pacifici, Quantitative Marine Ecology Lab, jkpacifi@ncsu.edu
• NC State University College of Natural Resources
• Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources