Georgetown Salamander

The Georgetown Salamander (Eurycea naufragia) is an aquatic salamander known only from a small handful of springs located in Williamson County, Texas, near the city of Georgetown. It relies entirely on these pristine, spring-fed environments.

It is officially listed as a federally threatened species because its incredibly restricted habitat is highly vulnerable to urban development. As the Austin metropolitan area expands, groundwater depletion and pollution severely threaten these sensitive salamanders.

Yes, it belongs to the same genus, Eurycea, as the Jollyville Plateau Salamander and the famous Barton Springs Salamander. They all share a common evolutionary ancestor adapted to the karst aquifer systems of Central Texas.

It is a small, fully aquatic, neotenic salamander that retains its external gills throughout its adult life. It typically has a light-colored body with dark mottling to help it blend into the limestone rocks of its native springs.