Interactions

This salamander has very few studied natural predators. It is likely how ever that they are consumed by cave dwelling mammals or other larger cave dwelling individuals.
Some studies have found that E. lucifuga eat the young of the Plethodon glutinosus, another kind of salamander, pictured below. (Animal Diversity Web 2002)
Salamanders seem to have an endosymbiotic relationship with an endoparasites in their gut, in the study by Hutchison the stomachs of the salamanders were seen to contain Haptophyra sp. and nematodes. The nematodes were also seen in organs other than the stomach. (Hutchinson 1958)

Prey of E. lucifuga

Human interactions

This salamander does not have any particularly in-depth human uses. They are not used in medicinal ways. Also the salamander is not used as foodstuffs.

E. lucifuga is not poisonous to humans. It does not usually encounter humans due to its habitat.

 Human destruction of caves and their surrounding areas is harming the salamanders but not to an extent where they are endangered, on a federal level.
In the state of Kansas it is considered to be endangered. (Fawley 2002)

To learn more interesting facts about this salamander continue to our Facts tab.