Texas Blind Salamander Facts
Clean water equals happy people.
Texas blind salamander facts. Its diet varies by what flows into its cave including blind shrimp. Texas this species is also known by the following name s. The texas blind salamander.
Distribution this rare salamander lives in the edwards plateau region hays county texas. Edwards aquifer is located in south central texas and is approximately 4 350 square miles extending into parts. Since this amphibian lives it total darkness it has no need for vision and its eyes are reduced to two black spots under its skin.
It lacks pigment and appears a translucent white color. The salamander s mature length is 13 cm 5 in. It is a cave dwelling creature.
The texas blind salamander is highly adapted for life in an aquatic underground environment. The animal is adapted to live in underground streams. The aquifer is home to several unique and endangered species.
As far as it is known these salamanders are found only in one place in the entire world deep below ground in hays county texas texas blind salamander. The texas blind salamander eurycea rathbuni is a rare cave dwelling troglobite amphibian native to san marcos hays county texas specifically the san marcos pool of the edwards aquifer the salamander has blood red external gills for absorbing oxygen from the water. 08 07 2005 in 1895 in san marcos texas a team of well drillers were attempting to construct an artesian well for a fish hatchery.
Texas blind salamander pictures gallery. So they sank a 190 foot shaft to reach an underground spring called purgatory creek. The texas blind salamander lives in water filled caves of the edwards aquifer near san marcos texas.
This slender frail legged amphibian is white or pinkish with a fringe of blood red external gills. Other the texas blind salamander depends on a constant supply of clean cool water from the edwards aquifer. The head is large and broad.
If the water in unclean or there is no water due to drought then humans lose water too. If you are ever lucky enough to see a texas blind salamander in the wild it will almost certainly be because the water source has pushed it to the surface texas blind salamander national wildlife federation 2014. The texas blind salamander also know as eurycea rathbuni is found only at edwards aquifer texas an artesian spring that supplies drinking water to over two million texans.
The more water the better in this case. The texas blind salamander typhlomolge rathbuni is a species of concern belonging in the species group amphibians and found in the following area s. Learn about recovery efforts for the texas blind salamander and other endangered and threatened species in texas.
Texas blind salamander is a rare troglobite amphibian found in texas.
