VUVulnerable

Alabama Well Amphipod

Stygobromus smithi

Stygobromus smithi, the Alabama well amphipod, is a phreatobite species of crustacean in family Crangonyctidae. It is endemic to Alabama in the United States.

1

Countries

01Classification

Taxonomy & Classification

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Malacostraca

Order

Amphipoda

Family

Crangonyctidae

Genus

Stygobromus

Alabama Well Amphipod belongs to the family Crangonyctidae, order Amphipoda, within the Malacostraca class.

02Description

Species Profile

Stygobromus smithi, the Alabama well amphipod, is a phreatobite species of crustacean in family Crangonyctidae. It is endemic to Alabama in the United States.

The Alabama Well Amphipod faces significant threats from groundwater contamination and habitat degradation due to agricultural runoff, urban development, and industrial activities in its limited range. As a cave-dwelling species with extremely restricted distribution, it is particularly vulnerable to water quality changes and hydrological alterations that can rapidly impact its specialized subterranean ecosystem.

Key Facts

IUCN StatusVulnerable (VU)
GroupCrustaceans
03Habitat

Habitat & Distribution

This species inhabits groundwater systems and subterranean aquatic environments, particularly cave streams and underground water bodies in limestone karst formations. It is endemic to specific groundwater habitats in Alabama where it depends on clean, well-oxygenated underground waters.

FRESHWATERMajor
04Threats

Threats

Extremely limited geographic range

HighOngoing

Groundwater contamination from agricultural chemicals

HighOngoing

Urban development and surface water pollution

HighOngoing

Hydrological alterations affecting groundwater flow

MediumOngoing

Industrial pollution and chemical runoff

MediumOngoing
06Range

Found in 1 Country

Community

Community Sightings

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07Sources

Sources & Attribution

How to Cite

IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS

GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org

This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Alabama Well Amphipod (Stygobromus smithi). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/alabama-well-amphipod

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