Invasive. Rare: known in AR only from the Spavinaw Creek drainage in Benton County. 
Arkansas Herpetological Atlas 2019
This species is represented by 33 records from 2 sources: 14 museum (
), 0 literature (
), 0 research (
), and 19 observation (
). It has been museum vouchered for 1 of 75 counties (). Years of collection range from 2003 to 2017.
This transplanted invasive species, first reported from Arkansas in 2003 (Bonett et al., 2007), occurs as an established and robust population inhabiting the upper Spavinaw Creek, Benton County (Connior et al., 2013; Bush et al., 2017). The parental population has been genetically traced to northeast Georgia (Bonett et al., 2007), with introduction likely occurring between 1988-2002 in association with use as fish bait or from trout stocking. Extensive sampling for Eurycea tynerensis in area streams, including Spavinaw Creek, from 1989 to 2001 failed to report the presence of any Desmognathus (Tumlison et al., 1990; Cline and Tumlison, 2001). Population growth and expansion downstream, even potentially into Oklahoma, warrants continued monitoring (Bush et al., 2017). Eradication seems not possible at this point, given the porous chert streambed habitat and potential for secondary harm to native species.
