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Texas blind salamander walking on pebbles

Texas blind salamander

Texas blind salamanders live in caves where little of not light penetrates. They have vestigial eyes which are covered over by skin as they aren't needed in this environment.

Scientific name: Eurycea rathbuni

Rank: Species

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Distribution

Map showing the distribution of the Texas blind salamander taxa

Species range provided by WWF's Wildfinder.

The Texas blind salamander can be found in a number of locations including: North America. Find out more about these places and what else lives there.

Habitats

The following habitats are found across the Texas blind salamander distribution range. Find out more about these environments, what it takes to live there and what else inhabits them.

Rivers and streams Rivers and streams
Rivers and streams, burns, brooks and springs – the names are varied but the flora and fauna all have to cope with the same thing: water that flows continuously in one direction. If you live here you need a way to avoid being washed downstream and ultimately into the sea.

Behaviours

Discover what these behaviours are and how different plants and animals use them.

Additional data source: Animal Diversity Web

Conservation Status

Vulnerable

  1. EX - Extinct
  2. EW
  3. CR - Threatened
  4. EN - Threatened
  5. VU - Threatened
  6. NT
  7. LC - Least concern

Population trend: Stable

Year assessed: 2004

Classified by: IUCN 3.1

About

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. The salamander's mature length is 13 cm (5 in). Its diet varies by what flows into its cave, including blind shrimp (Palaemonetes antrorum), snails, and amphipods .

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Classification

  1. Life
  2. Animals
  3. Vertebrates
  4. Amphibians
  5. Salamanders
  6. Lungless salamanders
  7. Eurycea
  8. Texas blind salamander

Video collections

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