Barton Springs Salamander vs. Austin Blind Salamander

Both live only at Barton Springs in Austin; the Austin Blind Salamander stays mostly underground and is seen far less often (young ones under 1 in are most often seen). A: Small eyes, but plain to see in the Barton Springs Salamander; no outer eyes: only small dark spots under the skin in the Austin Blind Salamander. B: A fairly small head with a short, rounded snout in the Barton Springs Salamander; a long, jutting, flattened snout in the Austin Blind Salamander. C: Mottled purplish-brown, grey or pale yellow, with pale flecks in the Barton Springs Salamander; pale, with almost no pigment: pearly white to lavender in life (preserved animals turn yellowish) in the Austin Blind Salamander. The Austin Blind Salamander also has only weak fins on the tail; the Barton Springs Salamander has a yellow-orange stripe under the tail.

Photographs via iNaturalist under Creative Commons licences; the photographers are credited on the sheet.

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