Georgia blind salamander
| Georgia blind salamander | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Caudata |
| Family: | Plethodontidae |
| Genus: | Haideotriton |
| Species: | H. wallacei |
| Binomial name | |
|
Haideotriton wallacei Carr, 1939 |
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Eurycea wallacei (Carr, 1939) |
|
Eurycea wallacei (Carr, 1939)
The Georgia blind salamander (Haideotriton wallacei) is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae (the "lungless salamanders"). It is endemic to the southeastern United States where its natural habitats are inland karsts, caves and subterranean habitats (other than caves). It is listed as "Vulnerable" by the IUCN and is threatened by habitat loss. (Haideotriton is considered synonymous with Eurycea by some experts.)
The Georgia blind salamander was previously considered a member of the genus Eurycea, but was later placed in the monotypic genus Haideotriton. An even more recent taxonomic revision moved it back, making Haideotriton a synonym of Eurycea [1].
The Georgia blind salamander is found in underground habitats in the Southeastern United States. Its precise distribution is unknown, however the first specimen to be examined scientifically was discovered in 1939 in water pumped from a deep well in Albany, Georgia. The only other locality in Georgia from which it is known is the Climax Cave, near Climax, Georgia in Decatur County. The salamander is also known from at least eight locations near Marianna in Jackson County, Florida. All these locations are connected to the Floridan aquifer, a vast system of underground water-filled passageways in limestone which underlies much of the Southeastern United States.
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