Eurycea

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Brook Salamanders
Barton Springs SalamanderEurycea sosorum
Barton Springs Salamander
Eurycea sosorum
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Order: Caudata
Family: Plethodontidae
Genus: Eurycea
Rafinesque, 1822
Synonyms

Spelerpes
Cylindrosoma
Saurocercus
Manculus
Typhlotriton
Typhlomolge
Septentriomolge
Belpsimolge
Notiomolge
Paedomolge
Haideotriton

Eurycea is a genus of salamanders commonly referred to as Brook Salamanders, native to North America.

[edit] Taxonomy

The genus Eurycea was first described by Constantine Samuel Rafinesque-Schmaltz in 1822, with a specimen of Spotted-tail Salamander, Eurycea lucifuga, from Kentucky. The taxonomy of the genus is somewhat confusing, as many of the species within it are poorly studied and are only found in very restricted ranges, or deep within subterranean caverns. Several species have even been described multiple times by different researchers, and several are often considered to be morphologically different enough to warrant being placed into their own genus. A recent taxonomic revision moved the Georgian Blind Salamander to this genus making Haideotriton a synonym of Eurycea [1].

Many sources also refer to several species of the genus as Cave Salamanders, due to their choice of habitat, or as Blind Salamanders, due to their reduced eyes, or the antiquated term for aquatic salamanders: Triton. Most species are from very isolated localities, so bear the name of the place the first specimen was found.

[edit] Species

[edit] References