Greater Siren

The greater siren is a large, eel like aquatic salamander of the southeastern United States, family Sirenidae, that keeps its external gills and small front legs for its entire life while never developing hind limbs at all. When its wetland habitat dries up, it can burrow into the mud and secrete a cocoon of dead skin around itself, entering a dormant state that lets it survive extended drought, as long as several years in large individuals, until water returns.