in all other salamanders the collecting ducts bend caudally during development (Rodgers and Risley, 1938) and either anastomose and enter the cloaca (in the Plethodontidae and some Salamandridae; Francis, 1934; Baker, 1965; Strickland, 1966), anastomose and enter Wolthan ducts (in the Ambystomatidae,
Amphiumidae, and some Salamandridae, Baker, 1945; Baker and Taylor, 1964; Baker, 1965), or enter the cloaca individually (in the Cryptobranchidae and Hynobiidae; Ratcliff, 1965; Yamagiwa, 1924).
Family/Host Species Locality Prevalence (1) Reference
Amphiumidae Amphiuma tridactylum Louisiana 6/85 (7.1%) Bennett & Humes Plethodontidae (1938) Eurycea lucifuga Tennessee 1/549 (0.2%) This study Eurycea neotenes Texas 1/86 (1.2%) McAllister (1990) Salamandridae Notophthalmus Massachusetts 1/1 (100%) McAllister (1990) viridescens Sirenidae Siren sp.
Remarks -- The Clark Quarry vertebrae are assigned to the endemic North American salamander family
Amphiumidae based on the presence of postzygapophyseal crests (Fig.
u/i, table 1) are found in other salamandrid genera (e.g., Salamandra), and in most other urodeles, with the exception of taxa with reduced (e.g.,
Amphiumidae, Sirenidae, Proteidae, which have lost digits and even entire limbs) or miniaturized limbs (e.g., Thorius, Nototriton, Bradytriton, Parvimolge, and Oedipina).
Amphiumidae - congo snakes