Eurycea neotenes
{{Short description|Species of amphibian}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = Texas salamander
| status = EN
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status2 = G1
| status2_system = TNC
| status2_ref = {{cite NatureServe |id=2.105042 |title=Eurycea neotenes |access-date=8 February 2025}}
| taxon = Eurycea neotenes
| authority = Bishop & Wright, 1937
}}
Eurycea neotenes, also known as the Texas salamander, Bexar County salamander, Edwards Plateau salamander, or Texas neotenic salamander,[http://research.amnh.org/herpetology/amphibia/references.php?id=22348 Amphibian Species of the World: Eurycea neotenes] is a species of entirely aquatic, lungless salamander native to the United States. It is endemic to central Texas, near Helotes, in Bexar County.
Description
The Texas salamander grows from {{convert|2|to|4|in|cm|abbr=on}} 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.{{Cite web |url=http://www.herpsoftexas.org/view/salamanders |title=HERPS of Texas |access-date=2012-04-16 |archive-date=2012-04-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415105447/http://www.herpsoftexas.org/view/salamanders |url-status=dead }}
Diet
The Texas salamander has reduced vision or can be completely blind, which makes it difficult to hunt for food. It hunts by swishing its head side to side to create water pressure waves and sensing their prey break the still water. The Texas salamander typically preys on amphipods, blind shrimp (Palaemonetes antrorum), daphnia, small snails and other invertebrates. {{Cite web |title=Texas Blind Salamander (Eurycea rathbuni) {{!}} U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service |url=https://www.fws.gov/species/texas-blind-salamander-eurycea-rathbuni |access-date=2025-04-24 |website=www.fws.gov |language=en}}
References
{{Reflist}}
- {{aut|Chippindale, P.T., A.H. Price, Wiens, J.J. & Hillis, D.M.}} (2000): Phylogenetic relationships of central Texas hemidactyliine plethodontid salamanders, genus Eurycea, and a taxonomic revision of the group. Herpetological Monographs 14: 1-80.
- {{aut|Hillis, D.M., Chamberlain, D.A., Wilcox, T.P., & Chippindale, P.T.}} (2001): A new species of subterranean blind salamander (Plethodontidae: Hemidactyliini: Eurycea: Typhlomolge) from Austin, Texas, and a systematic revision of central Texas paedomorphic salamanders. Herpetologica 57: 266–280.
- [http://www.zo.utexas.edu/research/txherps/salamanders/eurycea.neotenes.html Herps of Texas: Eurycea neotenes]
- [http://www.iucnredlist.org/search/details.php/59272/summ IUCN Red List: Eurycea neotenes]
{{Taxonbar|from=Q3010755}}
Category:Endemic fauna of Texas
Category:Amphibians of the United States
Category:Amphibians described in 1937
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