Identification
The
Cave Salamander is a large, thin salamander that ranges in color from dull yellow,
orange, to bright red. Dark irregular spots cover the length of the body, as
well as its long tail. The undersurfaces are yellowish and unspotted. The eye
of the Cave Salamander appears bronze and both males and females have two small
cirri, or fleshy skin extensions, which extend from the upper lip. Adults reach
lengths of 10-15.2 cm (4-6 in), and have 14-15 grooves along the sides of the
body (costal grooves).
Distribution and Status
The Cave Salamander can be found from extreme western Virginia to northwestern
Georgia and Alabama, north through southern Indiana, and in the southern areas
of Illinois, Missouri, and Kansas, as well as in northern Oklahoma. In the Midwest,
the Cave Salamander is found in Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, and Ohio, where
it is listed as State Endangered.
Ecology
As their name suggests, Cave Salamanders are found in the vicinity of springs
in, or close to caves. Caves are not their exclusive habitat as they may also
be found in other areas, usually under rocks. They have even been observed in
the cellars of houses in suburban areas. In caves, the Cave Salamander is an
inhabitant of the “twilight zone,” which is the area where visible
light reaches into the cave.
Threats and Management Issues
Caves and their surrounding areas are irreplaceable, and must be treated with
care.
Many of the animals that live in these environments can survive no where else,
and as such the destruction of these areas would have dire consequences.
Resources
General reference guides
and websites.
Reference guides and websites specific to Amphibians.
Links to more information on the Cave Salamander outside the Herp Center
University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
Illinois Natural History Survey
Bruce Kingsbury, Director
Center for Reptile and Amphibian Conservation and Management
Science Building
Indiana-Purdue University
2101 East Coliseum Blvd.
Fort Wayne, IN 46805-1499