Life Sciences Commons^™

Movement Patterns Of The Cave Salamander (Eurycea Lucifuga) In Sauerkraut Cave, Kentucky., Paige N. Wilson

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Honors Theses

The Cave Salamander, Eurycea lucifuga, is a common but poorly understood species of salamander that inhabits limestone features and karst systems across the eastern and midwest United States. As a species that can bridge the gap between subterranean and epigean environments, E. lucifuga may behave as a top predator and act as a significant facilitator in the flow of energy from the outside environment into the dark zone. The goal of this study was to document the seasonal movements of a local population of cave salamanders in Louisville, Kentucky, and the relationship between those movements and abiotic factors. Secondarily, …