Georgia Blind Salamander

Eurycea wallacei

A small, permanently gilled salamander. This species has little pigmentation, being mostly pink or whitish with scattered black spots on the back and sides. The limbs are slender limbs and the eyes are very reduced.
Georgia Blind Salamander (Eurycea wallacei) The Georgia Blind Salamander, Eurycea wallacei (=Haideotriton), is an obligate inhabitant of groundwater. This species only lives in the Floridan Aquifer and is known from sites in both Florida and Georgia. Excessive removal of groundwater and contamination of the resource threatens this species with intensive agricultural activities taking place on the surface above the Floridan Aquifer. The IUCN lists the species as vulnerable, Florida lists the species as a “species of special concern” and Georgia lists the species as “threatened.” The suite of characters associated with life below ground are readily observable in this species with a decrease in pigment, no eyes, a flattened and spade shaped head, and neoteny (reproductive capability in a larval body form). These images were taken in Georgia. Eurycea wallacei,Florida fauna,Georgia Blind Salamander,Georgia Fauna,Haideotriton,Life in the dark,Plethodontidae,aquifer inhabiting species,cave salamander,groundwater fauna,lungless salamander,obligate hypogean species,stygobitic species,subterranean species,troglomorphic,troglomorphism

Appearance

The head is broad and the snout is longer than most salamanders. The tail is laterally compressed with a fin. Adults are 51-76 mm total length with 12-13 costal grooves. Juveniles are similar to adults with slighty more pigmentation. This species does not undergo metamorphosis, and is adapted to a subterranean existance.

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Taxonomy
KingdomAnimalia
DivisionChordata
ClassAmphibia
OrderCaudata
FamilyPlethodontidae
GenusEurycea
SpeciesEurycea wallacei
Photographed in
United States of America