[Photo: Texas Parks and Wildlife]

Texas Blind Salamander
Eurycea rathbuni (or Typhlomolge rathbuni)

Description: The Texas Blind Salamander is a small, fragile-limbed amphibian that lives in the darkness of the underground caves of the Edwards Aquifer. Due to this habitual darkness, this sightless salamander possesses a small pair of eyes that are hidden beneath its white, translucent skin. The Texas Blind Salamander grows up to five inches long with a flat, broad head and snout. It uses bright red external gills to extract oxygen from surrounding water.

Life History: The Texas Blind Salamander is a top predator in its habitat and hunts along the bottom of streams using water pressure waves created by its prey.

Habitat: The Texas Blind Salamander prefers deep, quiet pools in the streams of underground caves. It prefers habitats with an abundance of bottom-growth aquatic plants and matted algae.

Distribution: Eurycea rathbuni can be found in underground streams within the caverns of the Edwards Aquifer along a six mile stretch of the San Marcos Spring Fault, near San Marcos, Texas.

Status: State and Federally Listed (1967) Endangered Species. This species is sensitive to changes in water quality associated with urban runoff and pesticide use. Texas Blind Salamander habitat also relies on recharge of the Edwards Aquifer, such that reduced spring flow due to human use of aquifer water and/or drought pose a serious threat to its existence.

Resources:

Texas Blind Salamander Page

San Marcos National Fish Hatchery

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

University of Michigan Museum of Zoology