Discovery of central Texas Eurycea eggs in the wild

Abstract

Eurycea pterophila is a fully aquatic paedomorphic salamander species classified as under review for federal listing and distributed in restricted sections of the Comal River (Comal CO., TX). Unlike Eurycea sosorum, which constitutes the only documented wild sightings of Eurycea eggs in the region, no eggs of Eurycea pterophila have been documented in the wild. During a routine collection of Eurycea pterophila for a captive assurance population, two eggs were found in the Comal River, TX near Spring Island, and successfully raised in captivity. Captive Eurycea pterophila eggs were laid at the same time the wild eggs were found; thus, data are presented here for a comparison.