Details
Proteus anguinus
The olm is a pale salamander of Palearctic underground freshwater. It is a solitary nocturnal carnivore of cave water systems.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
It lives in cave streams and groundwater of limestone regions. Dark, stable, cool freshwater is essential.
Length is about 20-30 cm and weight about 15-25 g. A pale slender body, external gills, and reduced eyes reflect life in darkness.
It is nocturnal and solitary in the data. In lightless water it moves slowly, relying on smell and sensing water movement.
It is carnivorous, eating small crustaceans, insect larvae, and other groundwater invertebrates. It can endure food-poor conditions.
Breeding occurs in water, with eggs laid in rock crevices or similar shelters. Young develop aquatically and retain external gills as adults.
Its conservation status is VU. Groundwater pollution and changes to water flow can strongly affect its hidden habitat.
