Eurycea latitans

Taxobox
name = Cascade Caverns Salamander
status = VU | status_system = IUCN3.1
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Amphibia
ordo = Caudata
familia = Plethodontidae
genus = "Eurycea"
species = "E. latitans"
binomial = "Eurycea latitans"
binomial_authority = Smith & Potter, 1946

The Cascade Caverns Salamander or Cascade Caverns Neotenic Salamander ("Eurycea latitans") is a species of aquatic salamander endemic to Cascade Caverns in Kendall County, Texas, USA. Like other species of cave salamander, they are almost entirely subterranean, living in spring waters deep in limestone rock strata, so gauging the exact extent of their geographic range or even their population numbers is virtually impossible. This also leads to reduced sampling for study, which has led to some uncertainty in the taxonomic classification, some sources considering all species of Texas cave salamanders to be subspecies of the Texas Salamander, "Eurycea neotenes".

Description

The Cascade Caverns Salamander is almost translucent, with a faint net-shaped pattern that is brown in color and often white speckling. The species is rarely seen, so the amount of variation in their coloration is unknown. They are neotenic, meaning they retain characteristics, into adulthood, that are usually associated with juvenile salamanders, such as external gills. They have a stout body, with short legs, and reduced eyes set under a layer of skin. This spieces of salamnders is threated and could become endangered.

References

* (2000): Phylogenetic relationships of central Texas hemidactyliine plethodontid salamanders, genus "Eurycea", and a taxonomic revision of the group. "Herpetological Monographs" 14: 1-80.
* (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.latitans.html Herps of Texas: "Eurycea latitans"]
* [http://www.iucnredlist.org/search/details.php?species=59267&tab=summ IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: "Eurycea latitans"]