Grotto Salamander

Typhlotriton spelaeus

Most cave-dwelling salamanders that inhabit pools and streams in caves in the southern part of the U.S. are pinkish or beige-colored. This salamander actually starts life in brooks and streams under the sun, but when it transforms to an adult it moves into a cave, loses its larval fins and color, and becomes a blind cave dweller.

Look For : A pinkish salamander with dark eyes. The larva is brownish with gills and a finned tail.

Length : 3-5".

Habitat : Limestone caves as adult; springs and streams as larva.

Range : Ozark Mountains of Missouri, Arkansas, and nearby Oklahoma and Kansas.