as long as a man’s arm inhabiting the murky swamps of
Florida and southern Alabama. The first real record of this
elusive creature dates back to 1970, when herpetologist
Robert Mount noted a specimen from Fish River in
Baldwin County, Alabama, that did not conform to the
typical description of S. lacerta. Nearly a decade later,
two similar specimens were collected accidentally as a by-
catch when trapping turtles in Lake Jackson, Covington
County, Alabama. In the 1990s, more Leopard Eels were
sighted crossing a road during heavy rain near Florala,
close to Lake Jackson. Then in 2009, researchers David
Steen and Sean Graham joined the search in earnest after
Steen captured a specimen in a crayfish trap while collect-
ing turtles at Eglin Air Force Base, in Okaloosa County,
Florida (Steen describes a long moment of ‘stunned
silence’). Concerted attempts to locate additional
individuals were destined to fail, until June 2014, when
three of the undescribed sirens were found in a shallow
marsh, again near Florala and adjoining Lake Jackson.
The Reticulated Siren is distinguished by a prominent
pattern of dark spots that extends the length of the dorsal
surface. Otherwise it is olive grey in colour, with lighter
flanks and ventral surface. It has a smaller, narrower head
than both S. lacertina and S. intermedia (the Lesser
Siren), and recognition of the new species’ status is
supported by genetic analysis. Siren reticulata is
described as having a mean snout to vent length of
33.4cm, although the sample size is insufficient to predict
whether it can attain a similar maximum size to
S. lacertina.
The authors of the paper describing S. reticulata note that
very little is known about the ecology and conservation
status of sirens as a group, and expect additional new
species to be identified in the future. The Reticulated
Siren occurs in a hotspot of biodiversity, and much of its
habitat also coincides with the fragile longleaf pine eco-
system. It is therefore hoped that the announcement of this
new discovery will result in the species being accorded
appropriate protection, and stimulate further study.
The ‘Peter Pan’ syndrome.
Without exception, sirens also exhibit neoteny. Alterna-
tively referred to as juvenilization and paedomorphosis,
the term neoteny is derived from Greek words meaning
‘young’ and ‘to extend’. It may be
defined as a delay in the development
or maturation of an organism, and/or
the retention of larval or juvenile
characteristics. In fact, the concept was
invented in an attempt to describe the
Axolotl’s failure to metamorphose into
the familiar shape of an adult salaman-
der – retaining external gills, tail fin
and small eyes, amongst other traits –
‘Rumours circulated of a
creature from the murky swamps
as long as a man’s arm.’
Right: Greater Siren (Siren lacertina).
Below: Lesser Siren (Siren intermedia).
Images by Rosa Jay.