Salamanders

All three species live their entire lives in the water of the Edwards Aquifer. They are typically found near springs and are often hidden beneath rocks.

Because of their small range and the potential for humans to impact their habitat, the Barton Springs salamander and Austin blind salamander are listed as endangered species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Jollyville Plateau salamander is listed as threatened.

Salamander Basics

Salamanders are a type of amphibian along with frogs and toads. Because they have permeable skin, amphibians are vulnerable to environmental pollution.

Austin’s salamanders are less than half inch long when they hatch and can grow up to three inches as adults. They have four toes on their front feet, five toes on their back feet, and a muscular tail.

Most salamanders on Earth are aquatic. They breathe through external gills when young but move onto land as adults. Our salamanders live in the water their entire lives and continue to look like juvenile salamanders with external gills as adults. They breathe through their gills and skin and do not have lungs.

Salamanders are carnivorous and eat a variety of prey, based on both what is available and what fits in their mouth. This includes a variety of insects, seed shrimp, snails, worms, copepods, and amphipods.

Their predators include some species of fish, crayfish, giant water bugs, damselfly larvae and even other salamanders!

• Use this interactive map to explore salamander habitat in the Austin area. 

Barton Springs Salamander

Barton Springs salamanders (Eurycea sosorum) are small and brownish in color with hues of pink, purple, orange or red with white flecks. Best known for living at Barton Springs Pool, Barton Springs salamanders can also occasionally be found at other springs in the Barton Springs segment of the Edwards Aquifer and its contributing zone. 

Individual salamanders are usually observed by scientists around the flowing water of the main springs, hidden within a layer of gravel and cobble. These areas are noticeably clear of fine silt or decomposed organic debris.

Although some of the first specimens were collected in 1946, the species was not formally described until 1993. When the Barton Springs salamander was formally described in the scientific literature, it was given the scientific name Eurycea sosorum, named after the Save Our Springs water quality ordinance. The voters approved the ordinance. The species was named in honor of the citizens of Austin for taking action to protect the springs.  

Austin Blind Salamander

Formally described in 2001, Austin blind salamanders (Eurycea waterlooensis) are generally lavender with white flecks. Its scientific name comes from the original name of Austin, which was Waterloo. It gets its common name because it cannot see.  This is a result of adapting to life in the dark, underground waters of the Edwards Aquifer. 

Austin blind salamanders live entirely underground, where their unique adaptations likely give them an advantage in a world of total darkness and limited food.  Very little is known about these salamanders because their habitat is not easily accessible by humans and they are only occasionally observed in the springs.

Don’t mix the Austin blind salamander up with the similarly named Texas blind salamander, which is found in San Marcos Spring. 

Jollyville Plateau Salamander

Jollyville Plateau salamanders (Eurycea tonkawae) are brownish in color and live primarily in the springs and streams of northwest Austin and southern Williamson County. It is listed as threatened by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Populations have declined in urbanized watersheds but remain stable in undisturbed portions of their range.

Most of these salamanders will retreat underground during dry periods. But some spend their entire lives underground, living in a half dozen caves. 

Habitat Conservation Plan

We must have a permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to operate Barton Springs Pool. This is because the Barton Springs Salamander and the Austin blind salamander live in the pool and are federally endangered species. The permit is issued under the Endangered Species Act Section 10(a)(1)(B) and is referred to as an Incidental Take Permit. Our first permit was issued in 1998 and was renewed in 2013. The current permit will expire in 2033.

The permit is based on conservation measures described in the Barton Springs Habitat Conservation Plan. This plan details actions by the City of Austin that adversely affect the Barton Springs salamander, the Austin blind salamander and their habitats. It also describes how we will reduce the impact of those actions to protect both species.

• Download a copy of the City’s Incidental Take Permit and Habitat Conservation Plan 

Captive Breeding

We established the captive breeding program for the Barton Springs salamander in 1998. Through early work, we discovered the Austin blind salamander as a species new to science. The Austin blind salamander is now also maintained in captivity.

The captive breeding program acts as a safeguard in case of extinction in the wild and provides the opportunity to learn more about the salamanders and their reproduction.

Most of our salamanders live to about 9 years old in captivity but some individuals have lived as long as 25 years!

Reproduction

Courtship and egg-laying have only been observed in captivity. All three of Austin’s salamander species are thought to lay their eggs underground in the aquifer. This is because only a few eggs have ever been found in the wild. Those eggs probably washed up accidentally.

Courtship behavior involves a series of steps called a “tail-straddle walk.” The female straddles the male’s tail and rubs her chin on the base of his tail as he walks slowly forward. Eventually, he deposits a spermatophore on a rock. As she follows him, the female picks up the spermatophore with her cloaca and stores it until she lays a clutch of eggs, which could be weeks later.

On average, a female lays 15 eggs in a clutch. The eggs are laid singly, and this process can take 12 hours or more. A clear, sticky capsule protects the embryo. The stickiness presumably allows the eggs to stick to rocks in the flow of water. The eggs hatch in about four weeks. The hatchlings typically have a yolk sac and often do not have fully formed limbs which continue to develop over the next couple of weeks. 

Conservation Fund

Each year, a portion of the proceeds from entrance fees to Barton Springs Pool is allocated to the Barton Springs Salamander Conservation Fund. This fund supports educational, scientific, or management projects that promote the conservation of the Barton Springs and Austin blind salamanders and their groundwater ecosystem.

Generally, we request proposals in October and notify recipients in May. Previous awards have ranged in size from $10,000 to $80,000, with an average of $40,000.

• For more information, refer to the 2024 Funding Opportunity Announcement.

Studies

City of Austin staff publish their research to further scientific understanding of our salamanders.

• Barton Springs Salamander (Eurycea sosorum) and Austin Blind Salamander (Eurycea waterlooensis) Captive Breeding Population Management Plan, City of Austin, April 2019
• Barton Springs and Austin blind salamander capture-recapture study: interim report, City of Austin, September 2019 

For a complete list, please use our Watershed Publications database.