Eurycea tonkawae

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AMPHIBIA	CAUDATA	PLETHODONTIDAE

Scientific Name:

Eurycea tonkawae

Species Authority:

Chippindale, Price, Wiens and Hillis, 2000

Common Name/s:

English

–

Jollyville Plateau Salamander

Taxonomic Notes:

This species is included in Eurycea neotenes by Sweet (1978, 1982) and in previous publications. Certain populations provisionally assigned to this species warrant further study and might prove to be taxonomically distinct (Chippindale et al. 2000).

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Endangered B1ab(iii,v) ver 3.1
Year Published:	2004
Assessor/s:	Geoffrey Hammerson, Paul Chippindale
Reviewer/s:	Global Amphibian Assessment Coordinating Team (Simon Stuart, Janice Chanson, Neil Cox and Bruce Young)
Contributor/s:
Justification: Listed as Endangered because its Extent of Occurrence is less than 5,000 km2, all individuals are in fewer than five locations, and there is continuing decline in the quality of its habitat, and in the number of mature individuals, in Texas.

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species occurs in springs of the Jollyville Plateau region north-west of Austin in Travis and Williamson counties, Texas, USA, and in springs of nearby Brushy Creek; the known range includes the Brushy Creek, Bull Creek, Cypress Creek, Long Hollow Creek, and Walnut Creek drainages; the Shoal Creek drainage includes a population provisionally assigned to this species (Chippindale et al. 2000). Also provisionally assigned to this species are populations from Kretschmarr Salamander Cave (Travis County), Testudo Tube (Williamson County), and caves of the Buttercup Creek system, Williamson County, though some of these cave forms may represent distinct species (Chippindale et al. 2000).
Countries:	Native: United States
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	Chippindale et al. (2000) mapped 4-5 population clusters. Although they may be common at some spring outflows, the species is apparently declining in population size and number/condition of occurrences (Chippindale et al. 2000; and see update by Davis et al. 2001).
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Although most populations occur in springs, certain cave-dwelling populations have been provisionally assigned to this species (Chippindale et al. 2000). This species is completely aquatic and does not metamorphose.
Systems:	Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	The major threat is habitat loss due to ongoing rapid urbanization (Chippindale et al. 2000; Davis et al. 2001). For example, an office building was recently built directly above one location. Large amounts of foam have been observed at the type locality (Still House Hollow Springs), and some individuals recently examined from this location exhibited spinal deformations (Chippindale et al. 2000). The aquifers that this species depends upon are small and localized and thus susceptible to pollution, drying, or draining (Chippindale et al. 2000).

Major Threat(s):

The major threat is habitat loss due to ongoing rapid urbanization (Chippindale et al. 2000; Davis et al. 2001). For example, an office building was recently built directly above one location. Large amounts of foam have been observed at the type locality (Still House Hollow Springs), and some individuals recently examined from this location exhibited spinal deformations (Chippindale et al. 2000). The aquifers that this species depends upon are small and localized and thus susceptible to pollution, drying, or draining (Chippindale et al. 2000).

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Some populations occur within city of Austin preserves, while a population that may represent this species exists on the Travis County Audubon Sanctuary (Chippindale et al. 2000).

Conservation Actions:

Some populations occur within city of Austin preserves, while a population that may represent this species exists on the Travis County Audubon Sanctuary (Chippindale et al. 2000).

Citation:	Geoffrey Hammerson, Paul Chippindale 2004. Eurycea tonkawae. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 23 May 2013.
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