Nutrition

Even though not much us known about the feeding habits of Comal blind salamanders, these fascinating creatures have an interesting way of acquiring their food and nutrition.

They mainly feed upon small invertebrates that live in the aquatic environments with the salamanders (Amphibiaweb). Adults mainly feed on blind cave shrimp and water fleas, while the younger salamanders eat copepods (wesapiens). Researchers have found large quantities of the substrate ebris in these salamanders stomachs which suggests that they graze the substrate of which they live. Other studies explain the salamanders may eat bat guano due to remains that were found in the salamanders’ fecal matter (amphibiaweb). Along with leftover matter from bats, Comal blind salamanders also eat small insects and insect larvae that also dwell in caves.

Eurycea tridentifera locate their food and prey through chemoreceptors (sensors that sense chemicals in environments) electroreceptors (organs that detect electrical fields) in their head and along the length of their body, and mechanoreceptors (receptors that reacts to pressure). This organism hunts by sensing water pressure waves created by their prey. To find their prey, the salamanders move their head side to side and use their receptors to locate other animals. When they attack their prey, their mouth opens quickly and takes in the prey. The prey is immediately killed by the salamanders several sharp teeth (Wesapiens).

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