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The Tennessee State Amphibian

Tennessee Cave Salamander (Gyrinophilus palleucus)

Photograph by John MacGregor, courtesy of The Center for North American Herpetology

4-1-320. State amphibian.

The unique Tennessee cave salamander (Gyrinophilus palleucus) is hereby designated as the official state amphibian.

[Acts 1995, ch. 367, § 1.]

Members of the Conference on Herpetology worked hard to pass a bill naming the Tennessee Cave Salamander the State Amphibian of Tennessee and, in 1995, Gyrinophilus palleucus was adopted as the Official State Amphibian by Public Chapter 367 of the 99th General Assembly.

This large (4"-8 7/8" long), cave-dwelling salamander has three red external gills, a broad, flat head with small, lidless eyes and a tail fin. Its snout is broad and turned-up at the tip. It's color ranges from nearly white to dark brown with spots.

It is most often found in limestone caves that contain streams in central and southeast Tennessee, parts of Alabama and Georgia. Its full range is not well known.

Currently listed as threatened by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA), the Tennessee Cave Salamander may be considered for federal status under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

Sources:
The Tennessee Blue Book Online 2001-2002,(http://www.state.tn.us/sos/bluebook/online/bbonline.htm), February 3, 2003
The Center for North American Herpetology, (http://www.cnah.org, February 3, 2003
The Tennessee Herpetological Society, (http://home.mindspring.com/~froghaven/), February 3, 2003
The Tennessee Code Online, Chapter 1, Part 3, State Symbols, February 3, 2003

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