The spring cavefish is the only cavefish in our state that has eyes and whose body is yellowish brown or brown; our other cavefishes lack eyes and are pale and nearly colorless. This fish resembles a salamander, with a single dorsal fin without spines, a rounded tail fin, and very small eyes. The scales are so small that the body appears naked.

The spring cavefish (Forbesichthys agassizii) is the only member of the genus Forbesichthys and is one of seven species in the family Amblyopsidae. This species is listed as state endangered in Missouri, but it is considered to be of least concern by the IUCN Red List due to its relatively large population size and number of subpopulations.

Working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.

The tiny school of fish, called Spring Cavefish (Chologaster agassizi), was discovered in 1975 by a biologist, Eugene F. McDonald of Cape Girardeau. The school is located in a small spring-fed pool at the base of a bluff in the general vicinity where new industry is being anticipated.

Originally found in a deep well in Lebanon, Tennessee, the spring cavefish is distributed within the central and southeastern United States. It inhabits select springs, spring runs/seeps, and caves from central and western Kentucky, west towards the …

Forbesichthys agassizi is one of two species in this family with functional eyes (Nelson 1984). Native Range: Springs and caves from central and western Kentucky (west to the Tennessee River) to south central Tennessee; west across southern Illinois to southeastern Missouri (Page and Burr 1991). Table 1.

The spring cavefish is troglophilic (occurring within caves, but not exclusively) and inhabits shallow, densely vegetated water in springs and spring-fed streams. They are active primarily after dark and their diet consists mostly of amphipods.

The Spring Cavefish is found in the headwaters of the Elk and Duck river systems of the Tennessee River Drainage and the Caney Fork System of the Cumberland River Drainage. As the common name suggests, they are known from spring and the entrance to cave systems. Unlike many other cave organisms, Spring Cavefish have small eyes and are pigmented.

The spring cavefish (Forbesichthys agassizii) is the only member of the genus Forbesichthys and is one of seven species in the family Amblyopsidae. This species is listed as state endangered in Missouri, but it is considered to be of least concern by the IUCN Red List due to its relatively large population size and number of subpopulations.

Active in springs at night and usually retreat underground during the day. The few individuals which venture into the spring portions of their habitat may show strong rheotaxis for half to one-minute periods but usually show strong thigmotaxis and hide under rocks or debris (Ref. 34868).