Northern Cavefish
Encyclopedia
Amblyopsis spelaea, The northern cavefish, northern blindfish, or blind cavefish of the mammoth cave is found in caves through Kentucky
and southern Indiana
. It is listed as a threatened species in the United States and the IUCN lists the species as vulnerable, with a range of about a dozen cave streams.
The White River
, flowing east to west south of Bedford, Indiana
, delimits the northern range of Amblyopsis spelaea. These fish are not found in caves north of the White River.
According to the "Guide to America", describing the famous Mammoth Cave, located in the National Park of the same name in Kentucky:
"The mammoth cavern consists of many huge caves and underground galleries, arranged over five floors, with a total length of one hundred and fifty miles. The runner wider measures two hundred feet long, the most impressive cave a hundred high and the well depths, a hundred and fifty. The Echo River, three-quarters of a mile long and two hundred feet at most, wide, slides under a dome of fifteen high. owes its name to the endless echoes repeats. Its waters are having fishes without eyes. "
The fishes referred to are the most typical ambliopsidos spelaeus species, known to science since 1842. In just over ten inches long, have very slender body, long head, no eyes and scales, and equipped, as all the tops and sides of the trunk, numerous transverse linear reliefs, in which sensory endings abound. The dorsal fin, well behind, is very high, short, and is at the same level as the anal, which is the same dimensions. The tail is rounded little fan later, the pectoral fins have medium development, and abdominal, located in the middle of the body, are very small. Depigmented and translucent, its pinkish color is due to the hemoglobin in its blood. Abundant in the famous Mammoth Cave, being a distraction for visitors. Calmly swim near the surface "as white aquatic ghosts" in the words of Professor Cope, who studied in the late nineteenth century, ready to disappear into the depths to sound. These fish, barely sensitive to light, they perceive the slightest vibrations in the air and take refuge in the murky river's depth. They eat many animals, almost all blind or low vision, with white color of the cave fauna who live in the same medium. Despite its apparent fragility, amblyopsis enjoy a tenacious vitality and can be kept in aquariums. J.R.R. Tolkien, in his book "The Hobbit" describes fish like these inhabitants of an underground lake.
The blind cavefish is blind and depigmented. Despite the lack of eyes, it does respond to light and moves away from it (scotophilia).
Cavefishes are generally small, ranging up to 11 centimetres (4.3 in) in length. Most do not have pelvic fins, although Amblyopsis spelaea has small ones with up to six rays. They are predator just only resulting from the lack of vegetation, inhabiting 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. Has low reproduction rate and broods eggs in gill cavity for up to 4-5 months. Can live for 2 years without food because of low metabolic rate.
Other animals which inhabit the Mammoth Cave National Park
include: two genera of Crickets (Hadenoecus subterraneus) and (Ceuthophilus stygius) (Ceuthophilus latens), a Cave salamander
(Eurycea lucifuga), two genera of eyeless Cave Fish (Typhlichthys subterraneus
) and (Amblyopsis spelaea), a Cave Crayfish (Orconectes pellucidus), and a Cave Shrimp (Palaemonias ganteri). In addition, some surface animals may take refuge in the entrances of the caves but do not generally venture into the deep portions of the cavern system.
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
and southern Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
. It is listed as a threatened species in the United States and the IUCN lists the species as vulnerable, with a range of about a dozen cave streams.
The White River
White River (Indiana)
The White River is a two-forked river that flows through central and southern Indiana and is the main tributary to the Wabash River. Via the west fork, considered to be the main stem of the river by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names, the White River is long.-West Fork:The West Fork, long, is...
, flowing east to west south of Bedford, Indiana
Bedford, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 13,768 people, 6,054 households, and 3,644 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,157.1 people per square mile . There were 6,618 housing units at an average density of 556.2 per square mile...
, delimits the northern range of Amblyopsis spelaea. These fish are not found in caves north of the White River.
According to the "Guide to America", describing the famous Mammoth Cave, located in the National Park of the same name in Kentucky:
"The mammoth cavern consists of many huge caves and underground galleries, arranged over five floors, with a total length of one hundred and fifty miles. The runner wider measures two hundred feet long, the most impressive cave a hundred high and the well depths, a hundred and fifty. The Echo River, three-quarters of a mile long and two hundred feet at most, wide, slides under a dome of fifteen high. owes its name to the endless echoes repeats. Its waters are having fishes without eyes. "
The fishes referred to are the most typical ambliopsidos spelaeus species, known to science since 1842. In just over ten inches long, have very slender body, long head, no eyes and scales, and equipped, as all the tops and sides of the trunk, numerous transverse linear reliefs, in which sensory endings abound. The dorsal fin, well behind, is very high, short, and is at the same level as the anal, which is the same dimensions. The tail is rounded little fan later, the pectoral fins have medium development, and abdominal, located in the middle of the body, are very small. Depigmented and translucent, its pinkish color is due to the hemoglobin in its blood. Abundant in the famous Mammoth Cave, being a distraction for visitors. Calmly swim near the surface "as white aquatic ghosts" in the words of Professor Cope, who studied in the late nineteenth century, ready to disappear into the depths to sound. These fish, barely sensitive to light, they perceive the slightest vibrations in the air and take refuge in the murky river's depth. They eat many animals, almost all blind or low vision, with white color of the cave fauna who live in the same medium. Despite its apparent fragility, amblyopsis enjoy a tenacious vitality and can be kept in aquariums. J.R.R. Tolkien, in his book "The Hobbit" describes fish like these inhabitants of an underground lake.
The blind cavefish is blind and depigmented. Despite the lack of eyes, it does respond to light and moves away from it (scotophilia).
Cavefishes are generally small, ranging up to 11 centimetres (4.3 in) in length. Most do not have pelvic fins, although Amblyopsis spelaea has small ones with up to six rays. They are predator just only resulting from the lack of vegetation, inhabiting 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. Has low reproduction rate and broods eggs in gill cavity for up to 4-5 months. Can live for 2 years without food because of low metabolic rate.
Other animals which inhabit the Mammoth Cave National Park
Mammoth Cave National Park
Mammoth Cave National Park is a U.S. National Park in central Kentucky, encompassing portions of Mammoth Cave, the longest cave system known in the world. The official name of the system is the Mammoth-Flint Ridge Cave System for the ridge under which the cave has formed. The park was established...
include: two genera of Crickets (Hadenoecus subterraneus) and (Ceuthophilus stygius) (Ceuthophilus latens), a Cave salamander
Cave salamander
The Spotted-tail Salamander is a species of cave salamander.-Distribution:This species is found in Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, Oklahoma and Kansas.-Identification:...
(Eurycea lucifuga), two genera of eyeless Cave Fish (Typhlichthys subterraneus
Typhlichthys subterraneus
Typhlichthys subterraneus is a species of fish in the Amblyopsidae family. It is endemic to karst regions of the eastern United States.-Taxonomy:...
) and (Amblyopsis spelaea), a Cave Crayfish (Orconectes pellucidus), and a Cave Shrimp (Palaemonias ganteri). In addition, some surface animals may take refuge in the entrances of the caves but do not generally venture into the deep portions of the cavern system.