Description: The Texas salamander grows from 2 to 4 inches in length. It is brown in color, often with yellow or brown mottling, with light-yellow spotting down its back. It is neotenic, with a slender body, short limbs, and bright-red external gills. The Texas salamander lives in caves, which resulted in reduced vision in its eyes, due to the long period of time in darkness. It is akin to the Texas blind salamander Eurycea rathbuni.

Habitat: This species occurs in springs in limestones, under rocks and leaves, and in gravel substrate. It is completely aquatic and does not metamorphose.

Range: It is endemic to central Texas, near Helotes, in Bexar County.

Found in these States: TX

Diet: Invertivore

Reproduction: Breeding habits are unknown in the wild, but closely related species are thought to deposit eggs in gravel substrates. In the laboratory, eggs were deposited on a variety of substrates.

Status: Listed as Endangered because its extent of occurrence (EOO) is 995 km2, it occurs in three threat-defined locations, and there is continuing decline in the extent and quality of its aquatic habitat in the Edwards Plateau region of central Texas, USA.

Taxonomy: