description Grotto Salamander Overview
The grotto salamander, Eurycea spelaea, is a lungless salamander native to caves and associated waters of the Ozark Plateau in the central United States. Aquatic larvae are pigmented and have functional eyes, while metamorphosed adults become pale, retain reduced eyes, and live primarily in subterranean habitats. Like other plethodontid salamanders, it lacks lungs and exchanges gases through its skin and the lining of its mouth.
help Grotto Salamander FAQ
Where do grotto salamanders live?
Eurycea spelaea is endemic to caves and associated subterranean waters of the Ozark Plateau in the central United States. Its range covers parts of southern Missouri, northern Arkansas, and northeastern Oklahoma, where it inhabits limestone karst cave systems.
Do grotto salamanders lose their eyes as adults?
Aquatic larvae have pigmented skin and functional eyes, but as they metamorphose into adults they lose pigmentation and their eyes become reduced and covered by skin. Adult grotto salamanders are effectively blind, which is a common adaptation among troglobitic cave-dwelling species.
How do grotto salamanders breathe without lungs?
Grotto salamanders belong to the family Plethodontidae, the lungless salamanders, and respire entirely through their skin and the moist lining of their mouths. This form of cutaneous respiration requires them to stay in the consistently humid environment that caves naturally provide.
Are grotto salamanders a protected species?
The grotto salamander is not currently listed as federally endangered in the United States, but cave ecosystems face ongoing threats from groundwater contamination and human disturbance. Some states within its range have given it special conservation status due to its restricted habitat and sensitivity to water quality changes.
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