Eurycea troglodytes
Encyclopedia
The Valdina Farms Salamander (Eurycea troglodytes) is a species
of aquatic salamander
described from Valdina Farms Sinkhole in Medina County, Texas, USA
. It is sometimes referred to as the Valdina Blind Salamander or Sinkhole Salamander. Like some other species of Eurycea
found in Texas, it was once classified as a subspecies
of the Texas Salamander, Eurycea neotenes
, and believed to possibly be the result of hybridization with other species of subterranean salamander, but was granted full species status in 2000. Research is ongoing, and some sources suggest that the current species may actually be multiple distinct species.
s. They are grey or cream colored, and translucent, sometimes with pale yellow striping or white speckling. Few specimens are known, so the variability of their color and pattern is unknown.
crevices, which makes definitively establishing its complete geographic range or its population numbers very difficult.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of aquatic salamander
Salamander
Salamander is a common name of approximately 500 species of amphibians. They are typically characterized by a superficially lizard-like appearance, with their slender bodies, short noses, and long tails. All known fossils and extinct species fall under the order Caudata, while sometimes the extant...
described from Valdina Farms Sinkhole in Medina County, Texas, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is sometimes referred to as the Valdina Blind Salamander or Sinkhole Salamander. Like some other species of Eurycea
Eurycea
Eurycea is a genus of salamanders, native to North America. These salamanders are commonly referred to as brook salamanders.- Taxonomy :...
found in Texas, it was once classified as a subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
of the Texas Salamander, Eurycea neotenes
Eurycea neotenes
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 :...
, and believed to possibly be the result of hybridization with other species of subterranean salamander, but was granted full species status in 2000. Research is ongoing, and some sources suggest that the current species may actually be multiple distinct species.
Description
The Valdina Farms Salamander grows from 2 to 3 inches in length, with short legs, reduced eyes under a layer of skin, and external gillGill
A gill is a respiratory organ found in many aquatic organisms that extracts dissolved oxygen from water, afterward excreting carbon dioxide. The gills of some species such as hermit crabs have adapted to allow respiration on land provided they are kept moist...
s. They are grey or cream colored, and translucent, sometimes with pale yellow striping or white speckling. Few specimens are known, so the variability of their color and pattern is unknown.
Behavior
It is entirely aquatic, and mostly subterranean, found in springs deep in limestoneLimestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
crevices, which makes definitively establishing its complete geographic range or its population numbers very difficult.