Eurycea neotenes
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Eurycea neotenes, also known as the Texas salamander, Bexar County salamander, Edwards Plateau salamander, or Texas neotenic salamander,[1] 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 Script error: No such module "convert". 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.[2]
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. [3]
References
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- ↑ Amphibian Species of the World: Eurycea neotenes
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- <templatestyles src="smallcaps/styles.css"/>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.
- <templatestyles src="smallcaps/styles.css"/>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.
- Herps of Texas: Eurycea neotenes
- IUCN Red List: Eurycea neotenes