Northern cavefish (Amblyopsis spelaea)

Scientific name: Amblyopsis spelaea DeKay, 1842

The Northern cavefish (Amblyopsis spelaea) is a freshwater fish of the family Amblyopsidae. Native range: North America, Indiana and Kentucky, U.S.A.

Biology

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-11; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 8 - 11; Vertebrae: 29 - 30. Pink-white. No eyes (vestigial eye tissues under skin). Extremely small pelvic fins (rarely absent). Large, broad head. Caudal fin with 4-6 rows of papillae; 11-13 branched caudal rays.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Amblyopsis spelaea
Family
Amblyopsidae (Cavefishes)
Order
Percopsiformes (Trout-perches, Pirate perches and Cavefish)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
11.0
Common length
6.5
Environment
Freshwater; demersal; non-migratory
Climate
Temperate
Distribution
North America: Indiana and Kentucky, U.S.A.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Vulnerable (VU) (D2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Fisheries: of no interest
Resilience
Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=0.20; low reproductive rate (Refs. 34868; 27795).)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

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