Identification
Grotto Salamanders are also known as “ghost lizards.” As adults
they are whitish or pinkish, with streaks of orange on the tail, feet, and lower
areas of the sides. The eyes look like two tiny dark spots and the eyelids are
partly fused. The aquatic larvae are brownish or purplish-gray with streaks
of yellow on the sides. They also have external gills, functional eyes, and
a high tail fin.
Distribution and Status
Grotto Salamanders can be found from southern Missouri south to adjacent northern
Arkansas and west to northeast Oklahoma and extreme southeast Kansas. Within
the Midwest the Grotto Salamander is only found in Missouri.
Ecology
As larvae, Grotto Salamanders live in upland springs and streams. Later in their
lifecycle, the salamander moves into caves, loses its pigment, and becomes blind
as its eyes grow shut. Adult Grotto Salamanders can be found on moist sections
of cave walls, beyond the “twilight zone” (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
for local populations.
Resources
General reference guides
and websites.
Reference guides and websites specific to Amphibians.
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