Olm

Olm

The world's largest cave animal

Olm is the only cave vertebrate living in Europe and the largest cave animal in the world.

 

 

Source: Arne Hodalič, wikipedija

Olm (Proteus anguinus)

Size

  • 20 to 30 cm  

Weight

  •   17 g   

Diet

  • aquatic invertebrates, crustaceans, larvae

Habitat

  • groundwater, endemic of the Dinaric Alps
 

 

Kingdom
  • Animalia
Phylum
  • Chordata
Class
  • Amphibia
Order
  • repati krkoni
Family
  • Proteidae
Genus
  • Proteus
Species
  • Proteus anguinus
The skin is pale pink, similar to that of a human, which is why in Slovenian it is also called 'človeška ribica,' meaning 'human fish.

 

Experts have named this species the olm.

Its eyes are shrivelled and covered with skin. It perceives what is happening by smell and vibrations detected by the senses in its skin. Its whole body is sensitive to light. It swims very quickly by curling its body, with the assistance of two pairs of small legs. The front legs have three toes each, while the back legs have two.

It may not look it, but an olm  is a predator. It hunts cave-dwelling aquatic invertebrates, crayfish, and larvae. The olm is an amphibian, breathing through external gills and possessing simple lungs.

The male and female differ very little externally. After mating, the female lays eggs which she sticks on stones in underground river beds. Live larvae may also hatch instead of eggs.

The olm was first scientifically described and named in the 18th century. Almost a century earlier, it was described by Janez Vajkard Valvasor in  Slava vojvodinje Kranjske (The Glory of the Dutchy of Carniola).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source: Arne Hodalič, wikipedija

 

 

 

 

The largest cave animal is endemic to the Dinaric Karst.

 

Source: Arne Hodalič, wikipedija


So there's only one place to find it - in the underground waters of the karst world of the Dinaric karst. It was first found and described in Slovenia. It lives in hundreds of caves and springs: the Postojna Cave, the Planina Cave, the Škocjanské Caves, the Mejame Cave, etc.

In Slovenia, the olm is protected and included on the Red List of Endangered Species.