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Eurycea lucifuga

Rafinesque, 1822

Cave Salamander

G5Secure Found in 12 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
MediumThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.102314
Element CodeAAAAD05050
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAmphibia
OrderCaudata
FamilyPlethodontidae
GenusEurycea
Other Common Names
cave salamander (EN)
Concept Reference
Frost, D. R. 1985. Amphibian species of the world. A taxonomic and geographical reference. Allen Press, Inc., and The Association of Systematics Collections, Lawrence, Kansas. v + 732 pp.
Taxonomic Comments
Bonett et et al. (2014 "2013") recovered this species as the sister taxon of a group composed of Eurycea longicauda and Eurycea guttolineata (Frost 2020).
Conservation Status
Review Date2002-03-22
Change Date2001-10-23
Edition Date2002-03-22
Edition AuthorsHammerson, G.
Threat ImpactMedium
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 - 300
Range Extent Comments
Eastern Oklahoma to northern Virginia, north to central Indiana, south to central Alabama (Conant and Collins 1991).
Occurrences Comments
Many occurrences.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Caves (usually limestone); also rocky streams and springs, and wooded areas and fields, usually near caves or limestone outcrops. Hides under objects during day in noncave areas, except in wet weather when it may be in the open. Eggs are laid in cave streams or pools, springs, or in rocky streams outside of caves. Larvae remain in cave pools until winter or early spring when pools begin to overflow; larvae washed into larger streams, remain there until metamorphosis

Reproduction

Lays clutch of 50-90 eggs (singly), fall-spring. Aquatic larvae metamorphose in 1-2 years.
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest - Hardwood
Palustrine Habitats
Riparian
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
OhioS1Yes
MississippiS1Yes
VirginiaS4Yes
AlabamaS4Yes
West VirginiaS3Yes
KansasS1Yes
ArkansasS4Yes
KentuckyS5Yes
IllinoisS4Yes
TennesseeS5Yes
OklahomaS3Yes
GeorgiaS4Yes
IndianaS4Yes
MissouriS5Yes
Roadless Areas (12)
Arkansas (2)
AreaForestAcres
Indian CreekOzark-St. Francis National Forest7,855
Richland CreekOzark-St. Francis National Forest571
Indiana (1)
AreaForestAcres
Mogan RidgeHoosier National Forest8,435
Tennessee (1)
AreaForestAcres
Flint Mill GapCherokee National Forest9,494
Virginia (6)
AreaForestAcres
Brush MountainJefferson National Forest6,002
Mountain Lake Addition AJefferson National Forest1,469
Mountain Lake Addition B (VA)Jefferson National Forest3,405
North MountainJefferson National Forest8,377
Peters Mountain Addition A (VA)Jefferson National Forest1,268
Three SistersGeorge Washington National Forest8,149
West Virginia (2)
AreaForestAcres
Mountain Lake Addition B (WV)Jefferson National Forest557
Peters Mountain Addition A (WV)Jefferson National Forest343
References (19)
  1. Barbour, R. W. 1971. Amphibians and reptiles of Kentucky. Univ. Press of Kentucky, Lexington. x + 334 pp.
  2. Behler, J. L., and F. W. King. 1979. The Audubon Society field guide to North American reptiles and amphibians. Alfred A. Knopf, New York. 719 pp.
  3. Blackburn, L., P. Nanjappa, and M. J. Lannoo. 2001. An Atlas of the Distribution of U.S. Amphibians. Copyright, Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana, USA.
  4. Bonett, R. M., M. A. Steffen, S. M. Lambert, J. J. Wiens, and P. T. Chippindale. 2014. Evolution of paedomorphosis in plethodontid salamanders: ecological correlated and re-evolution of metamorphosis. Evolution 68: 466-482.
  5. Collins, J. T. 1993. Amphibians and reptiles in Kansas. Third edition, revised. University of Kansas Museum of Natural History, Public Education Series No. 13. xx + 397 pp.
  6. Conant, R. and J. T. Collins. 1991. A field guide to reptiles and amphibians: eastern and central North America. Third edition. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, Massachusetts. 450 pp.
  7. Crother, B. I. (editor). 2017. Scientific and standard English names of amphibians and reptiles of North America north of Mexico, with comments regarding confidence in our understanding. 8th edition. SSAR Herpetological Circular 43:1-104. [Updates in SSAR North American Species Names Database at: https://ssarherps.org/cndb]
  8. Elliott, W. R. 2003. A guide to Missouri's cave life: 70 species brought to life. Missouri Department of Conservation. 37 pp.
  9. Frost, D. R. 1985. Amphibian species of the world. A taxonomic and geographical reference. Allen Press, Inc., and The Association of Systematics Collections, Lawrence, Kansas. v + 732 pp.
  10. Frost, D.R. 2020. Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History, New York, USA. Online: http://research.amnh.org/herpetology/amphibia/index.html
  11. Green, N. B., and T. K. Pauley. 1987. Amphibians and reptiles in West Virginia. University of Pittsburgh Press, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. xi + 241 pp.
  12. Hutchison, V.H. 1966. <i>Eurycea lucifuga</i>. Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles 24.1-24.2.
  13. Johnson, T.R. 1977. The Amphibians of Missouri. University of Kansas Museum of Natural History, Public Education Series 6: ix + 134 pp.
  14. Johnson, T. R. 2000. The amphibians and reptiles of Missouri. Second edition. Missouri Department of Conservation, Jefferson City. 400 pp.
  15. Minton, S. A., Jr. 1972. Amphibians and reptiles of Indiana. Indiana Academy Science Monographs 3. v + 346 pp.
  16. Mount, R. H. 1975. The reptiles and amphibians of Alabama. Auburn University Agricultural Experiment Station, Auburn, Alabama. vii + 347 pp.
  17. Petranka, J. W. 1998. Salamanders of the United States and Canada. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C.
  18. Phillips, C. A., R. A. Brandon, and E. O. Moll. 1999. Field guide to amphibians and reptiles of Illinois. Illinois Natural History Survey Manual 8. xv + 282 pp.
  19. Redmond, W. H., and A. F. Scott. 1996. Atlas of amphibians in Tennessee. The Center for Field Biology, Austin Peay State University, Miscellaneous Publication Number 12. v + 94 pp.