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Glossary
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Cave Fish There are more than 80 different varieties of cavefish. Cavefish are generally small ,and are usually 4.3 inches in length. Cavefish have rows of sensory papillae on their skin ,which they use to help navigate their lightless environment. The majority of cave fish have little to no pigment in their skin. Most cavefish don't have pelvic fins, although Amblyopsis spelaea have pelvic fins, they are very small. All 80 varieties can be broken down into 5 basic categories. The main family name is Amblyopsidae. The first branch off of the family is called Genus Amblyopsis. There are 2 different types of cavefish in this grouping. They are Ozark cavefish or (Amblyopsis rosae) and Northern cavefish or (Amblyopsis spelaea). Ozark cavefish are 2 1/4 inches long, are pinkish-white, and are blind. Ozark cavefish live in cave streams and springs. The Ozark cavefish are on the endangered list of threatened wild life and plants. Northern cavefish are found in caves through Kentucky and Southern Indiana. Northern cavefish are listed as a threatened species in the U.S. and the IUCN listed the Northern cavefish as a vulnerable species. The White River, flowing east to west south of Bedford, Indiana, delimits the northern range of Amblyopsis spelea. these fish aren't found in caves north of the white river. The second branch off of the family is Genus Chologaster. This type of grouping, the Swamp fish have pale color and blind eyes. They feed on small amounts of food washed into the cave by a cave river. The third category is Genus Forbesichthys or more commonly known as the Spring fish. This fish is deep brown dorsally and fades to a creamy brown towards the end. It can be found in Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, and Tennessee. They live in underground caves during the day but come out at night into the spring where there is more to eat. They eat micro crustaceans, larvae, and worms. The forth category is the Genus Speoplatyrhinus. It has one group which is the Alabama cavefish or(Speoplatyrhinus Poulsoni). The Alabama cavefish are quite rare. It's very long, with a flattened head, has no eyes and almost no color. When it was discovered in 1970 it was so unusual that a new description was made for it. It can only be found in Key Cave in Lauderdale County, Alabama. The fifth and final category is Genus Typhlichthys, which has one group of fish as well. It is southern cave fish or (Typhlichthys Subterraneus). They live in cave streams of the Riverine system located in Karst Limestone regions of the interior plateau of Kentucky. These fish are examples of how species can adapt to their environment. |
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