Hellbenders aren’t so scary! Cryptobrachus alleganiensis are in the running to become the Pennsylvanian State Amphibian. Due to their permeable skin, hellbenders are extremely susceptible to pollution, making them great bioindicators. A bioindicator is an organism who is representative of the status of an ecosystem’s health. Hellbenders are the largest North American salamander.
This post was originally posted on our curatorial assistant’s Instagram, which features specimens in the museum’s historic Alcohol House.
