Speoplatyrhinus poulsoni
CR

Speoplatyrhinus poulsoni

Stable

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alabama_cavefish

Overview

The Alabama cavefish is a critically endangered species of amblyopsid cavefish found only in underground pools in Key Cave, located in northwestern Alabama, United States in the Key Cave National Wildlife Refuge. It was discovered underneath a colony of gray bats in 1967 by researchers Robert A. Kuehne and John E. Cooper and scientifically described in 1974.

Because Speoplatyrhinus poulsoni is confined to a single cave system, it is exceptionally vulnerable to groundwater pollution from surrounding agricultural and residential land use. Its survival is tightly linked to the health of Key Cave's resident gray bat colony, whose guano forms the base of the cave's sparse food web, so any decline in bat numbers threatens the fish's nutrient supply. Sedimentation and changes in water flow from land development further degrade the specialized pool habitats the species requires.

Threat summary

Habitat

Speoplatyrhinus poulsoni inhabits the flooded passages and pools of Key Cave, a limestone cave system in Lauderdale County, Alabama. The species requires stable groundwater conditions with consistent temperature, dissolved oxygen levels, and minimal chemical fluctuations typical of pristine karst aquifer environments.

Rocky areas· majorCaves and subterranean habitats· major

Threatened in United States

VU

Lepiota echinella

Unknown
VU

Paddlefish

Polyodon spathula

Unknown
VU

Copper Shark

Carcharhinus brachyurus

Declining
EN

Lyophyllum deliberatum

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Speoplatyrhinus poulsoni classified as Critically Endangered?
Speoplatyrhinus poulsoni is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Because Speoplatyrhinus poulsoni is confined to a single cave system, it is exceptionally vulnerable to groundwater pollution from surrounding agricultural and residential land use. Its survival is tightly linked to the health of Key Cave's resident gray bat colony, whose guano forms the base of the cave's sparse food web, so any decline in bat numbers threatens the fish's nutrient supply. Sedimentation and changes in water flow from land development further degrade the specialized pool habitats the species requires.
Where does Speoplatyrhinus poulsoni live?
Speoplatyrhinus poulsoni occurs in United States. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Speoplatyrhinus poulsoni?
The main threats to Speoplatyrhinus poulsoni are 1.1, 12.1, 2.1, and 7.3. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

Get weekly conservation intelligence

One short digest a week of the most striking species and country data we ship, plus breaking conservation news paired with our database where it matters.

Free, no spam. One-click unsubscribe in every email.