In Texas, animal or plant species of conservation concern may be listed as threatened or endangered under the authority of state law and/or under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Species may be listed as state threatened or endangered and not federally listed. The state list deals only with the status of the species within Texas. A federal listing means that an animal is in decline throughout its entire range which may encompass several other states or nations. This series includes wildlife which may be close to extinction and is comprised of birds, fish, invertebrates, mammals, plants, amphibians and reptiles.
San Marcos Salamander (Eurycea nana)
Texas Status: Threatened
U.S. Status: Threatened, Listed 07/14/1980
Description: The San Marcos salamander is a dark reddish-brown salamander about 1 to 2 inches long, small and slender.
Life History: The San Marcos salamander occurs only in Spring Lake and an adjacent downstream portion of the upper San Marcos River. Moss and algae provide hiding places for the salamanders and habitat for small animals that serve as their food. The dark reddish-brown color of the algae almost perfectly matches the dark color on the back of the San Marcos Salamander. These salamanders do not occur where the bottom is muddy or bare. Clean, clear, flowing water of constant temperature is required for suitable habitat. It eats tiny aquatic crustaceans, aquatic insects, and snails. Females lay eggs singly or in small groups, eggs are attached to plants or under rocks. This aquatic salamander has external gills which are retained throughout life.
Habitat: Clear, flowing spring water coming from the headwaters of the San Marcos River provide habitat for the San Marcos salamander.
Distribution: It is found only in the San Marcos River, Hays County, Texas.
Other: Reduced flow of water from the springs is the greatest threat to the survival of the San Marcos Salamander and other animals and plants dependent on the springs. The growth of cities has led to higher water use by people and increased problems with water pollution and silt accumulation. Introduction of non-native species is also a threat because they may destroy aquatic vegetation, prey on endangered animals, or compete with them for food.
Because this series is quite a distance from my house, maintenance is rather difficult. Log's get wet, containers break, and sometimes caches just flat go missing. If you dont find the cache, and believe it to be gone, or it needs maintenance, please feel free to make it whole again. As a thank you, you may add a second log to any that you do maintenance on. And thanks for the help.