Blind Salamanders
The austin blind salamander has got its name from its native place austin barton springs.
Blind salamanders. The texas blind salamander eurycea rathbuni is a rare cave dwelling troglobite amphibian native to san marcos hays county texas specifically the san marcos pool of the edwards aquifer the salamander has blood red external gills for absorbing oxygen from the water. The olm is a blind cave dwelling salamander also called the proteus and the human fish. It hunts animal food by sensing water pressure waves created by prey in the still underground waters where it lives.
The head is wide. The olm was once described as a baby dragon on account of its small snake like body. Since this amphibian lives it total darkness it has no need for vision and its eyes are reduced to two black spots under its skin.
Austin blind salamander pictures gallery. The salamander s mature length is 13 cm 5 in. Some species have only rudimentary or even absent eyes blind salamanders others lack pigmentation rendering them a pale yellowish or pinkish color e g.
The aquatic species neither has functional eyes nor does it go through metamorphosis. A cave salamander is a type of salamander that primarily or exclusively inhabits caves a group that includes several species some of these animals have developed special even extreme adaptations to their subterranean environments. The blind salamander is an active predator.
The texas blind salamander is highly adapted for life in an aquatic underground environment. It lacks pigment and appears a translucent white color.
