Description: The fern bank salamander (Eurycea pterophila) is also known as the Blanco River Springs salamander. The Fern Bank salamander (Eurycea pterophila) was first described in 1950. This species looks similar to the Texas salamander (Eurycea neotenes) with a yellow, mottled coloration and bright red gill filaments, but can be differentiated from similar species because of a “Y” shaped area at the back of the head.

Habitat: Fern Bank salamanders range into both underground caves and surface water streams. This species is typically found underneath small rocks, vegetation, leaf packets near flowing springs, on bare rock or silt bottoms of cave systems.

Range: This species occurs in the Blanco River drainage in Blanco, Comal, Hays, and Kendall counties, Texas, USA.

Found in these States: TX

Diet: The salamanders are known to eat various insects including dragonflies, caddisflies, stoneflies, and small crustacea such as water scuds.

Reproduction: Little is known about the life history and reproduction of this species. Female Eurycea salamanders hatch eggs inside of their bodies after being fertilized by males. These aquatic salamanders do not develop substantially past the larval life stage and retain a fully developed set of gills throughout their lifespan.

Status: Listed as Endangered because its extent of occurrence (EOO) is 4,952 km2, it likely occurs in five or fewer threat-defined locations, and there is continuing decline in the extent and quality of its aquatic habitat in Texas.

Taxonomy: