Contrary to common belief, we actually do have more than two species of salamander here in the Texas hill country. We have three. Most people know of the Texas blind salamander found in caves, and those who live in Boerne usually know of the rare cascade caverns salamander. The lesser known of our three salamanders is the western slimy salamander. One of the lung less salamanders common to the American Midwest it can be found under moist logs in places outside of civilization. I had not found one of these animals in a long while so finding one was a treat, even if it was a few weeks back. I found it in a canyon which is only filled with water after a few days of heavy rain. On this particular day I went down to search at an interval between two large rainstorms. During this time the sun had come out and it was close to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. The salamander was underneath a small log near the edge of a woodpile so I am glad that he didn't sprint to the woodpile and I would not be able to catch him.
Definitely my favorite salamander found in Texas.
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