These are elongate, cylindrical, medium-sized to very large semilarval salamanders with very short limbs and one to three toes per limb, no eyelids, and a gill slit is present in the pharyngeal region; fertilization is internal.

Size: Adults reach 13-46 in (33-117 cm) in length, depending on the species

Number of genera, species: 1 genus; 3 species

Habitat: Streams, lakes, ditches, ponds, swamps, and marshes

Conservation status: Not threatened