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Amblyopsis spelaea DeKay, 1842 Northern cavefish |
| Family: | Amblyopsidae (Cavefishes) | |||
| Max. size: | 11 cm TL (male/unsexed) | |||
| Environment: | demersal; freshwater, non-migratory | |||
| Distribution: | North America: Indiana and Kentucky, U.S.A. | |||
| Diagnosis: | Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-11; Anal spines: 0-0; 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. | |||
| Biology: | Blind and depigmented. Despite the lack of eyes it does respond to light and moves away from it (scotophilia). Inhabits subterranean water or caves which have consolidated mud-rock substrates in shoals and silt-sand substrates in pools but is more often found in caves with uniform silt-sand substrates (Ref. 34868). Has low reproduction rate and broods eggs in gill cavity for up to 4-5 months (Ref. 557; 34868; 27795). Can live for 2 years without food because of low metabolic rate (Ref. 5326). Top predator. | |||
| IUCN Red List Status: | Near Threatened (NT); Date assessed: 04 August 2012 Ref. (130435) | |||
| Threat to humans: | harmless | |||
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