Mudpuppy (Necturus maculosus)

Meet the Mudpuppy (Necturus maculosus) – a fascinating aquatic salamander that’s capturing hearts with its unique characteristics! Also known as the “waterdogs,” this intriguing creature belongs to the Proteidae family and boasts a distinct appearance that sets it apart in the amphibian world.

Mudpuppies are primarily found in freshwater bodies across North America, sporting external gills that resemble bushy red tufts, making them easily recognizable. These gills aren’t just for show—they serve a crucial purpose, allowing the Mudpuppy to breathe underwater throughout its life. With their stout bodies, earthy colouration ranging from brown to grey, and a length that can stretch up to about a foot, Mudpuppies are a wonderful sight to behold. Unlike most amphibians, Mudpuppies do not undergo metamorphosis, meaning they reach maturity in their aquatic life-stage and do not have a terrestrial life stage like almost all other salamanders.

Now, dive into the realm of 3D printing with our meticulously designed Mudpuppy model! Crafted with precision and attention to detail, our STL files offer enthusiasts the opportunity to create their very own lifelike mudpuppy replica. We don’t just stop at one design—choose from multiple versions tailored to your preferences:

Solid Version: Ideal for a straightforward, single-piece print that captures the essence of the mudpuppy’s form. This version is likely the most difficult to print because it has many overhangs and is therefore not easily printable.
Separate Gills Version: Print the gills separately from the body. This option is slightly easier to print and allows for the body to be painted first and the gills to be printed in a different material before assembling the model together.
Body Sections Version: To maximize ease of printing, in addition to separating the gills from the body, we’ve divided the body into three distinct sections—tail, middle, and upper body. This option provides flexibility for assembly and painting, and maybe more importantly: it allows for the model to be printed at full size on a smaller resin printer.

To elevate the authenticity of your model, we recommend using transparent red material for the gills. This choice not only accentuates the defining feature of the mudpuppy but also enhances the realism of your finished masterpiece.

With these 3D-printable files, you’re not just crafting a model; you’re delving into the intricate world of amphibians, bringing the charm of the mudpuppy right into your hands. Unleash your creativity, experiment with colors, and showcase your passion for these captivating creatures with our Mudpuppy model!

The files are packaged in a .zip archive. They are in .stl format and they are scaled to the life size of a large mudpuppy at roughly

(Note: As these are digital files for 3D printing, the final result will depend on the printing quality and the expertise of the user in post-processing and painting.)

We successfully printed the 3-body-piece-and-gills version, on a resin-based 3D-printer. We printed the gills in transparent resin that we tinted red with resin dye in order to enhance the realism of the finished painted model.

We successfully printed the body segments in grey resin on an LCD 3D printer using these settings:

Layer height: 0.05mm
Hollowed: True
Wall thickness: 2mm
Infill: 10%
1cm drainage holes on the parts of the model that would eventually be glued together.
3mm drainage holes in other areas that would need them based on orientation (like the curve of the tail).
Feel free to use these settings as a guide or use your own preferred settings. They’re just the settings that we used when printing.

Due to the nature of resin printing, you will have to determine your own exposure settings because they are different for every brand of resin and printer.