Comparative study of the rheotaxis in the cave salamander Proteus anguinus and his epigean relative Necturus maculosus (Proteidae, Urodela).

The reaction to different water currents of the cave salamander Proteus anguinus and his epigean relative Necturus maculosus has been tested in a choice chamber. Both species showed a positive reaction which started in P. anguinus with a current of 35 cm/min and in N. maculosus 60 cm/min. These thresholds are within the range measured for different species of fish in the absence of visual stimuli. In addition, the rheotactic behaviour is less steady in N. maculosus . It seems that the differences found are not sufficient to be explained by adaptation to cave life.