Description
An extremely rare, blind, cave-dwelling salamander. Initially four individuals were discovered while a spring was being excavated, but only one preserved specimen currently is known. Pigmentless, gilled throughout life, and with extremely reduced eyes. The body is stout, the limbs relatively robust, and the tail thick with a moderately high tail fin. 57 mm snout to vent length (101 mm total length) (Potter and Sweet 1981; Petranka 1998).

Distribution and Habitat

Country distribution from AmphibiaWeb's database: United States

U.S. state distribution from AmphibiaWeb's database: Texas

View distribution map in BerkeleyMapper.

Known only from a single locality northeast of San Marcos, Hays County, Texas. This species was discovered while excavating a spring in a dried bed in the Blanco River. The site has subsequently been covered with water from the Blanco River and filled with gravel and silt (Potter and Sweet 1981; Petranka 1998). Habits are likely to be similar to other subterranean salamanders of the genus Eurycea, particularly E. rathbuni.

Life History, Abundance, Activity, and Special Behaviors
Not known

Trends and Threats
Known only from the single collection of four individuals, this species has been the subject of a petition for Federal endangered species listing (Petranka 1998).

Comments
Until recently E. rathbuni and E. robusta were placed in the genus Typhlomolge. Although they are extreme in their specializations for living in underground aquatic systems, these two species are closely related to other species of Eurycea from Texas and the eastern United States (Chippindale 1995; Petranka 1998).

References

Chippindale, P. T. (1995). Evolution, phylogeny, biogeography, and taxonomy of Central Texas spring and cave salamanders, Eurycea and Typhlomolge (Plethodontidae: Hemidactyliini. Ph.D Dissertation, University of Texas.

Petranka, J. W. (1998). Salamanders of the United States and Canada. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D.C. and London.

Potter, F. E., Jr., and Sweet, S. S. (1981). ''Generic boundaries in Texas cave salamanders, and a redescription of Typhlomolge robusta (Amphibia: Plethodontidae).'' Copeia, 1981(1), 64-75.

Species Account Citation: AmphibiaWeb 2021 Eurycea robusta: Blanco Blind Salamander <https://amphibiaweb.org/species/4218> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed Feb 27, 2025.

Citation: AmphibiaWeb. 2025. <https://amphibiaweb.org> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed 27 Feb 2025.

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