Ozark Cavefish (Amblyopsis rosae)
(Federally listed as Threatened)
Description: The Ozark Cavefish is a small that grows no more
than two inches in length. Its skin is unpigmented so it looks
white in color, and it has no eyes. Despite its small size, this
can be a long-lived fish, often living more than 15 years.
Cavefish feed on small invertebrates.
Habitat: The Ozark Cavefish is specially adapted for life in
subterranean water. They live in the shallow groundwater aquifer
in the Springfield Plateau which is a highly fractured and
porous limestone formation. The cavefish lives in underground
streams, fissures and channels in the aquifer but are only seen
by people when they inhabit a pool or stream within a cave.
Current and Historic Distribution: The current and historic
ranges of the Ozark Cavefish are not entirely known because most
of the fish live in inaccessible spaces and channels in the
groundwater. Within Oklahoma, cavefish have been found in
streams in ten wet caves in Ottawa and Delaware counties, but it
is unclear whether these sites are isolated or connected through
the aquifer.
Reasons for Decline: Ozark Cavefish live in a very fragile
environment and are susceptible to ground water pollution or the
excessive pumping and removal of ground water from the aquifer.
They are an important part of a unique underground ecosystem
that is fueled by organic material such as decaying vegetation
that washes into caves nutrients or bat guano that is deposited
in caves. Disturbance to caves and bat colonies can negatively
affect the food chain on which the cavefish depends.
County by County List of Endangered and Threatened Species
US Fish and Wildlife Endangered Species Lists