Necturus maculosus (Mudpuppy) Dissection: Name: ______________________
Pre-Lab Questions:
1.
What phyla, class, and order is a mudpuppy found in?
2.
What are some similarities a mudpuppy has with a rat? What about a squid?
3.
What are some differences between a rat and a mudpuppy? Squid?
4.
What is Paedomorphosis?
5.
What might be the benefit of paedomorphosis? What might be the disadvantage?
6.
What habitat do mudpuppies live in?
Draw a picture of your mudpuppy in the box below. Label as many external features as you can.

Dissection & Questions:
1.
Measure the length of your mudpuppy: _____________cm
2.
Measure the size/height of the gill filaments: _________cm
3.
After making an “I” incision on your mudpuppy (see rat diagram at right), identify as many internal organs as you can on the diagram below. Use the reference website for help: http://goo.gl/lQ65Y2
4.
How do you think the size of a mudpuppy’s lungs compare to other amphibians? Explain your reasoning.
5.
Compare the rat’s lungs to the size of a mudpuppy’s lungs. How are they different?
6.
The crab-eating frog in Asia is the only known amphibian to survive in salt water.
Why aren’t there more salt-water amphibians? (Hint: diffusion)
7.
In the picture of the mudpuppies below label the: small intestines, duodenum, stomach, liver, lungs, heart, left/right atria, ventricle, testes, gills, and cloaca.