Olm
Proteus anguinus (anguinus)
Where is it found?
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Underwater freshwater lakes and streams often found in caves.
Diet and foraging method
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Olm's use a combination of chemoreceptors, electroreceptors, and mechanoreceptors to locate and capture prey.
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Key adaptations
Olms have highly specialised non-visual sensory systems, in order to navigate and find prey in the darkness. They can detect chemicals, electric fields and water displacement.
Social organisation and mating system
Lives in groups
Polygynous
Did you know that...?
When Olms are exposed to light, their skin turns colour from creamy pink to dark violet-black, and this reverses when it is returned back to darkness. They are thought to be able to live for over 100 years!
Taxonomy
Picture credits:
Maps from: http://species.mol.org/species/
"P anguinus1" by Arne Hodalič - Author's own work. Uploaded with permission.. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:P_anguinus1.jpg#/media/File:P_anguinus1.jpg
"P anguinus-head1" by Arne Hodalič - Author's own work. Uploaded with permission.. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:P_anguinus-head1.jpg#/media/File:P_anguinus-head1.jpg
"P anguinus-head" by Arne Hodalič - Author's own work. Uploaded with permission.. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:P_anguinus-head.jpg#/media/File:P_anguinus-head.jpg
"P anguinus1" by Arne Hodalič - Author's own work. Uploaded with permission.. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:P_anguinus1.jpg#/media/File:P_anguinus1.jpg
"P anguinus-head1" by Arne Hodalič - Author's own work. Uploaded with permission.. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:P_anguinus-head1.jpg#/media/File:P_anguinus-head1.jpg
"P anguinus-head" by Arne Hodalič - Author's own work. Uploaded with permission.. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:P_anguinus-head.jpg#/media/File:P_anguinus-head.jpg
