The hellbender is the largest amphibian in North America. It can grow to about 29 inches and weigh up to 5 pounds. It spends its entire life in the swift-running rivers across the eastern United States.

Hellbenders may have gotten their name because of their monstrous size and wrinkly, slippery, splotchy skin. Those features, while unpleasant, serve essential purposes. Hellbenders absorb 95% of their oxygen intake through the folds and wrinkles of their skin. The mucus on the skin protects it from abrasion, parasites, and predators.