The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™
ISSN 2307-8235 (online)
IUCN 2008: T22707A9379701
Eurycea spelaea, Grotto Salamander
Assessment by: Geoffrey Hammerson
View on www.iucnredlist.org
Citation: Geoffrey Hammerson. 2004. Eurycea spelaea. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
2004: e.T22707A9379701. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2004.RLTS.T22707A9379701.en
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THE IUCN RED LIST OF THREATENED SPECIES™
Taxonomy
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Animalia
Chordata
Amphibia
Caudata
Plethodontidae
Taxon Name: Eurycea spelaea (Stejneger, 1892)
Synonym(s):
• Eurycea spelaeus
• Typhlotriton spelaeus
Common Name(s):
• English:
Grotto Salamander
Assessment Information
Red List Category & Criteria:
Least Concern ver 3.1
Year Published:
2004
Date Assessed:
April 30, 2004
Annotations:
Needs Updating
Justification:
Listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution, presumed large population, and because it is
unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category.
Previously Published Red List Assessments
1996 – Data Deficient (DD)
1994 – Insufficiently Known (K)
1990 – Insufficiently Known (K)
1988 – Insufficiently Known (K)
1986 – Insufficiently Known (K)
Geographic Range
Range Description:
This species can be found in the Salem and Springfield plateaus in the Ozark region of Missouri,
Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Kansas, USA (Conant and Collins 1991, Collons 1993, Johnson 2000).
Country Occurrence:
Native: United States
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Eurycea spelaea – published in 2004.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2004.RLTS.T22707A9379701.en
1
Distribution Map
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Eurycea spelaea – published in 2004.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2004.RLTS.T22707A9379701.en
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Population
Johnson (2000) mapped occurrences in 25 counties in Missouri. Most of the rest of the range is in
Arkansas, where an out-of-date review by Brandon (1970) indicated 12 locations (he showed 15 in
Missouri).
Current Population Trend: Unknown
Habitat and Ecology (see Appendix for additional information)
Adults inhabit caves. Larvae are found in surface spring runs as well as in cave waters. Most abundant in
caves that have a large number of bats. Probably attaches eggs to rocks in or near water.
Systems: Terrestrial, Freshwater
Threats (see Appendix for additional information)
It is unthreatened range wide, but vulnerable to factors that degrade ground water quality or that
negatively impact bat populations (such as water pollution, and clear-cutting of forest).
Conservation Actions (see Appendix for additional information)
Long-term monitoring is needed to assess the viability of populations (Petranka 1998). It occurs in
several protected areas.
Credits
Assessor(s):
Geoffrey Hammerson
Reviewer(s):
Global Amphibian Assessment Coordinating Team (Simon Stuart, Janice Chanson,
Neil Cox and Bruce Young)
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Eurycea spelaea – published in 2004.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2004.RLTS.T22707A9379701.en
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Bibliography
Blackburn, L., Nanjappa, P. and Lannoo, M.J. 2001. An Atlas of the Distribution of U.S. Amphibians. Ball
State University, Muncie, IN, USA.
Brandon, R.A. 1965. Typhlotriton, T. nereus, T. spelaeus. Catalogue of American Amphibians and
Reptiles: 1-2.
Brandon, R.A. 1970. Typhlotriton, T. spelaeus. Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles: 1-2.
Collins, J.T. 1982. Amphibians and reptiles in Kansas. Second Edition. Univ. Kansas Mus. Nat. Hist., Pub.
Ed. Ser. 8, Kansas.
Collins, J.T. 1993. Amphibians and reptiles in Kansas. Third edition, revised. University of Kansas Museum
of Natural History, Public Education Series No. 13.
Conant, R. and Collins, J.T. 1991. A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians: Eastern and Central North
America. Third Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts.
Frost, D.R. 1985. Amphibian Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. Allen Press
and the Association of Systematic Collections, Lawrence, Kansas.
IUCN. 2004. 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. www.iucnredlist.org. Downloaded on 23
November 2004.
Johnson, T.R. 1977. The Amphibians of Missouri. Univ. Kansas Mus. Nat. Hist., Pub. Ed. Ser. 6, Kansas.
Johnson, T.R. 2000. The Amphibians and Reptiles of Missouri. Second Edition. Missouri Department of
Conservation, Jefferson City.
Petranka, J.W. 1998. Salamanders of the United States and Canada. Smithsonian Institution Press,
Washington, D.C.
Citation
Geoffrey Hammerson. 2004. Eurycea spelaea. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2004:
e.T22707A9379701. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2004.RLTS.T22707A9379701.en
Disclaimer
To make use of this information, please check the Terms of Use.
External Resources
For Images and External Links to Additional Information, please see the Red List website.
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Eurycea spelaea – published in 2004.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2004.RLTS.T22707A9379701.en
4
Appendix
Habitats
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)
Habitat
Season
Suitability
Major
Importance?
5. Wetlands (inland) -> 5.9. Wetlands (inland) - Freshwater Springs and
Oases
-
Suitable
-
5. Wetlands (inland) -> 5.18. Wetlands (inland) - Karst and Other
Subterranean Hydrological Systems (inland)
-
Suitable
-
7. Caves and Subterranean Habitats (non-aquatic) -> 7.1. Caves and
Subterranean Habitats (non-aquatic) - Caves
-
Suitable
-
Threats
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)
Threat
Timing
Scope
Severity
Impact Score
5. Biological resource use -> 5.3. Logging & wood
harvesting -> 5.3.5. Motivation
Unknown/Unrecorded
Ongoing
-
-
-
Stresses:
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.2. Ecosystem degradation
Ongoing
-
Stresses:
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.2. Ecosystem degradation
9. Pollution -> 9.3. Agricultural & forestry effluents ->
9.3.4. Type Unknown/Unrecorded
-
-
Conservation Actions in Place
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)
Conservation Actions in Place
In-Place Land/Water Protection and Management
Conservation sites identified: Yes, over entire range
Occur in at least one PA: Yes
Conservation Actions Needed
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)
Conservation Actions Needed
1. Land/water protection -> 1.1. Site/area protection
2. Land/water management -> 2.1. Site/area management
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Eurycea spelaea – published in 2004.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2004.RLTS.T22707A9379701.en
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Research Needed
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)
Research Needed
1. Research -> 1.2. Population size, distribution & trends
1. Research -> 1.3. Life history & ecology
1. Research -> 1.5. Threats
1. Research -> 1.6. Actions
3. Monitoring -> 3.1. Population trends
Additional Data Fields
Population
Population severely fragmented: No
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Eurycea spelaea – published in 2004.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2004.RLTS.T22707A9379701.en
6
The IUCN Red List Partnership
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ is produced and managed by the IUCN Global Species
Programme, the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) and The IUCN Red List Partnership. The IUCN
Red List Partners are: BirdLife International; Botanic Gardens Conservation International; Conservation
International; Microsoft; NatureServe; Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Sapienza University of Rome; Texas
A&M University; Wildscreen; and Zoological Society of London.
THE IUCN RED LIST OF THREATENED SPECIES™