Skip to content

Cave Biology Data Portal

Subterranean biodiversity of North America and around the globe

  • ExploreExpand
    • Species
    • Taxonomy
    • States and Provinces
    • Karst Regions
    • Caves You Can Visit
  • ResourcesExpand
    • Funding Opportunities
    • Employment Opportunities
    • Meeting and Events
    • Public Notices
    • News and Updates
  • ContributeExpand
    • Report an Observation
    • Add a Photograph or Image
    • Post an Event
    • Post an Opportunity
    • Add a Reference
    • Add a New Species
    • Report a Correction
  • AboutExpand
    • Acknowledgments
    • Data Sensitivity Policy
    • Citation and Licensing
  • ContactExpand
    • Data Requests
Cave Biology Data Portal
Subterranean biodiversity of North America and around the globe
AnimaliaChordataVertebrataAmphibiaCaudataPlethodontidaeEurycea

Dark-Sided Salamander
Eurycea melanopleura (Cope, 1894)

Taxonomy

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Subphylum Vertebrata
Class Amphibia
Order Caudata
Family Plethodontidae
Genus Eurycea
Species Eurycea melanopleura (Cope, 1894)

Description

Diagnostic characters

Ecological class
Troglophile
Realm
Terrestrial

Distribution

Range

Known from eight counties across two states.

Continent

North America

Country

United States

States and provinces

Arkansas, Oklahoma

Counties

Arkansas
Baxter, Independence, Izark, Sharp, Stone
Oklahoma
Adair, Delaware, Sequoyah

Conservation and management

State and federal status

Not listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act

References

  • Dunivan, J.D., Tumlison, C.R. & McDaniel, V.R. 1982. Cave fauna of Arkansas: further records. Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science 36: 87–88. https://scholarworks.uark.edu/jaas/vol36/iss1/28.
  • Fenolio, D.B. 2011. 2011 Ozark aquatic subterranean wildlife surveys. Report to Oklahoma Biological Survey. Atlanta Botanical Garden, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. 6 pp.
  • Fenolio, D.B. 2014. 2014 Ozark aquatic subterranean wildlife surveys. Report to Oklahoma Biological Survey. San Antonio Zoo, San Antonio, Texas, USA. 21 pp.
  • Fenolio, D.B. 2016. 2016 Ozark aquatic subterranean wildlife surveys. Report to Oklahoma Biological Survey. San Antonio Zoo, San Antonio, Texas, USA. 11 pp.
  • Fenolio, D.B., Niemiller, M.L., Slay, M.E. & Carter, E.T. 2017. Biological inventories of caves in the Ozarks of northeastern Oklahoma: December 2017 field report. Report to Oklahoma Biological Survey. San Antonio Zoo, San Antonio, Texas, USA. 17 pp.
  • Fenolio, D.B. 2017. 2017 Ozark aquatic subterranean wildlife surveys. Report to Oklahoma Biological Survey. San Antonio Zoo, San Antonio, Texas, USA. 15 pp.
  • Fenolio, D.B., Slay, M.E. & Niemiller, M.L. 2023. Biological inventories of caves in the Ozarks of northeastern Oklahoma: December 2023 field report. Report to Oklahoma Biological Survey. San Antonio Zoo, San Antonio, Texas, USA. 24 pp.
  • Fenolio, D.B., Slay, M.E. & Niemiller, M.L. 2023. Biological inventories of caves in the Ozarks of northeastern Oklahoma: December 2022 field report. Report to Oklahoma Biological Survey. San Antonio Zoo, San Antonio, Texas, USA. 24 pp.
  • Fenolio, D.B., Slay, M.E., Niemiller, M.L. & Richard, K. 2024. Biological inventories of caves in the Ozarks of northeastern Oklahoma: December 2024 field report. Report to Oklahoma Biological Survey. San Antonio Zoo, San Antonio, Texas, USA. 17 pp.
  • McDaniel, V.R. & Gardner, J.E. 1977. Cave fauna of Arkansas: vertebrate taxa. Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science 31: 68–71. https://scholarworks.uark.edu/jaas/vol31/iss1/22.

How to cite this account

Eurycea melanopleura (Cope, 1894). Cave Biology Data Portal, account SP-1706. https://cavebiology.org/species/eurycea-melanopleura/ (accessed 7 September 2026).

Data sources and funding are listed in the Acknowledgments.

Spotted something wrong on this page? Report a correction. Accounts are compiled from many sources and corrections from people who know the group are the most useful email we get.

Cave Biology Data Portal

Species accounts, distributions, and conservation status for the subterranean fauna of North America and around the globe, with resources for the cave and karst research community.

Text and data CC BY 4.0. Images all rights reserved unless stated.

Explore

  • Browse
  • Taxonomy

Resources

  • Funding
  • Employment
  • Contribute

About this site

  • About Us
  • Acknowledgments
  • Contact Us
  • Data Sensitivity Policy
  • Citation and Licensing
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Explore
    • Species
    • Taxonomy
    • States and Provinces
    • Karst Regions
    • Caves You Can Visit
  • Resources
    • Funding Opportunities
    • Employment Opportunities
    • Meeting and Events
    • Public Notices
    • News and Updates
  • Contribute
    • Report an Observation
    • Add a Photograph or Image
    • Post an Event
    • Post an Opportunity
    • Add a Reference
    • Add a New Species
    • Report a Correction
  • About
    • Acknowledgments
    • Data Sensitivity Policy
    • Citation and Licensing
  • Contact
    • Data Requests