North America: Springfield Plateau in southwestern Missouri, northeastern Oklahoma and northwestern Arkansas (Arkansas and upper White River drainages), USA. Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions
Short description
Dorsalsoft rays
(total): 7 - 8;
Analsoft rays: 8. Pink-white. No eyes (vestigial eye tissues under skin). No pelvic fins. Usually 8 anal rays; 9-11 branched caudal rays.
Inhabits subterranean waters of quite small cave streams. Its preferred habitat in these caves is chert rubble though it is also found in areas of silt-sand substrates. Stomachs examined contained copepods which constituted about 70-90% by volume with the balance being primarily small salamanders, crayfish, isopods, amphipods and young of their own species (Ref. 34868). Threatened by overfishing (Ref. 10172).
