The mudpuppy (N. m. maculosus, sometimes called the common mudpuppy) is rusty brown to grey dorsally, with a gray venter that ranges from unspotted to densely spotted.A large, aquatic salamander with well-developed, maroon colored gills, broad flat head with small eyes, and a fin-like tail. Adults are olive colored and can attain total lengths of 200-430 mm. Many larval salamanders possess gills, and are often incorrectly referred to as mudpuppies. (Harding, 2000)