Teleostei (teleosts) >
Percopsiformes (Trout-perches, pirate perches and cavefishes) >
Amblyopsidae (Cavefishes)
Etymology: Amblyopsis: Greek, amblys = darkness + Greek, ops = shape (Ref. 45335).
More on author: DeKay.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; demersal; non-migratory. Temperate; 39°N - 37°N
North America: Indiana and Kentucky, U.S.A.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 11.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5723); common length : 6.5 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 12193)
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.
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Female incubates eggs in gill cavities (Ref. 7471).
Romero, A. and L. Bennis, 1998. Threatened fishes of the world: Amblyopsis spelaea DeKay, 1842 (Amblyopsidae). Environ. Biol. Fishes 51(4):420. (Ref. 27795)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of no interest
Tools
Special reports
Download XML
Internet sources
