[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 174 (Wednesday, September 9, 1998)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 48166-48167]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-24120]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
50 CFR Part 17
Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 90-day Finding for
a Petition to List the Robust Blind Salamander, Widemouth Blindcat, and
Toothless Blindcat
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of 90-day petition finding.
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SUMMARY: The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announces a 90-day
finding for a petition to list the robust blind salamander (Typhlomolge
robusta), widemouth blindcat (Satan eurystomus), and toothless blindcat
(Trogloglanis pattersoni) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as
amended. The Service finds that the petition did not present
substantial information indicating that listing these species may be
warranted. The Service will continue to maintain files on these species
and is interested in receiving additional information on their status.
DATES: The finding announced in this document was made on August 21,
1998.
ADDRESSES: Send information, comments, or questions concerning this
petition to the Field Supervisor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
Ecological Services Field Office, 10711 Burnet Road, Suite 200, Austin,
Texas 78758. The petition finding, supporting information, and comments
will be available for public inspection, by appointment, during normal
business hours at the above address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lisa O'Donnell, Biologist, at the
above address or telephone 512/490-0057.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Section 4(b)(3)(A) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as
amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.)(Act), requires that the Service make a
finding on whether a petition to list, delist, or reclassify a species
presents substantial scientific or commercial information to
demonstrate that the petitioned action may be warranted. To the maximum
extent practicable, this finding is to be made within 90 days of the
date the petition was received, and the finding is to be published
promptly in the Federal Register. If the finding is that substantial
information was presented, the Service is also required to promptly
commence a status review of the species, if one has not already been
initiated under the Service's internal candidate assessment process.
On August 21, 1995, the Service received a petition to list the
robust blind salamander, widemouth blindcat, and toothless blindcat as
endangered. The petition, dated August 15, 1995, was submitted by Dr.
Walter R. Courtney, on behalf of the American Society of Ichthyologists
and Herpetologists. However, because the Service's listing program was
unfunded from October 1, 1995, through April 26, 1996, the Service was
precluded from making a timely 90-day finding on this petition.
As a result of the severe funding restraints for the Service's
listing program in 1995 and 1996, the Service accumulated a substantial
backlog of listing actions, including petition findings. In order to
prioritize the order in which the Service would process this backlog of
listing actions, the Service issued listing priority guidance for
Fiscal Year 1996 (May 16, 1996; 61 FR 24722). That listing priority
system placed petition findings in Tier 3, behind emergency listings
(Tier 1), and final action on pending proposals (Tier 2). The Service
issued listing priority guidance for Fiscal Year 1997 on December 5,
1996 (61 FR 64475) and extended it on October 23, 1997 (62 FR 55268).
That guidance also placed petition findings in Tier 3. Under the
listing priority systems for Fiscal Years 1996 and 1997, the Service's
Southwest Region, assigned lead responsibility for listing actions in
Texas, only recently began processing Tier 3 actions.
The Service is now operating under its Fiscal Years 1998 and 1999
listing priority guidance (May 8, 1998; 63 FR 25502). Under this
guidance, processing of petition findings was placed in Tier 2. The
Service's Southwest Region is now processing Tier 2 actions under this
current guidance.
The petition states that the three species are faced with habitat
loss due to declining water quality and quantity in the Edwards aquifer
and inadequacy of existing regulatory mechanisms and should be added to
the list of Threatened and Endangered Wildlife. The Service has
reviewed the petition and other available information and finds that
there is not substantial information to indicate that listing the
robust blind salamander, widemouth blindcat, and toothless blindcat may
be warranted.
The Service has been assessing these species since their
designation as category 2 candidates in 1982 (47 FR 58454). Category 2
candidates, were defined as taxa for which the Service had information
indicating that protection under the Act may be warranted but for which
it lacked sufficient information on status and threats to support
listing proposals. On February 28, 1996, the Service discontinued the
designation of multiple categories of candidates (61 FR 7596), and only
those taxa for which the Service has sufficient information to support
issuance of listing proposals are now considered candidates (formerly
category 1).
Although the Service concurs that many Edwards aquifer species face
threats from increased groundwater withdrawals and groundwater
contamination, uncertainties still exist regarding the taxonomic
validity and distribution of the robust blind salamander and the
distributions of and extent of threats to the toothless blindcat and
widemouth blindcat. The petition presented no information to resolve
these uncertainties. Therefore, the Service believes that the petition
did not present substantial information indicating that listing may be
warranted.
The sole remaining specimen of the robust blind salamander was
obtained in 1951 from a well in the dry bed of the Blanco River
northeast of San Marcos, Hays County, Texas (Russell 1976, Potter and
Sweet 1981). No individuals have been observed since then, and the type
locality was later filled with gravel and silt. The specimen, a mature
female measuring 5.7 centimeters in length, was designated as the
holotype. Based on morphological differences between this individual
and the Texas blind salamander (Typhlomolge rathbuni), which it most
closely resembles, the robust blind salamander was described as a
distinct species (Potter and Sweet 1981). Primary differences from the
Texas blind salamander include a longer, more robust body and slightly
shorter, stouter limbs. However, because the description of the robust
blind salamander was based solely on the morphological characteristics
of a single specimen (Russell 1976; Potter and Sweet 1981), because the
type locality of the robust blind salamander is close to the known
range of the Texas blind salamander, and because the appearance of the
robust blind salamander is similar to that of the Texas blind
salamander, the Service believes that additional research is warranted
to verify whether
[[Page 48167]]
or not the robust blind salamander is specifically distinct from the
Texas blind salamander. Furthermore, since no salamanders resembling
the description of the robust blind salamander have been observed since
1951, the current existence and distribution of this form, if valid, is
unknown.
Both the toothless blindcat and the widemouth blindcat are
recognized as distinct species and occur in the deep portions of the
Edwards aquifer (over 300 meters below the surface) in Bexar County,
Texas. A status report was prepared for both species in 1979 (Longley
and Karnei 1979), which recommended additional sampling of artesian
wells in Medina, Uvalde, and Kinney counties to determine the
blindcats' ranges. This information is not updated in the petition, and
the Service is unaware of any attempts to conduct further sampling
efforts. Although the petition states that both blindcats have
experienced population declines, no data were provided for the Service
to evaluate. The petition also cites dewatering, intrusion from the
saline water zone, direct mortality due to pumping from the aquifer, as
well as contamination from human activities over the aquifer as
threats, but provides no supporting documentation. Information
regarding the distribution of the blindcats and documentation and
assessment of threats to these species are needed.
As additional data become available, the Service will reassess the
need for listing the robust blind salamander, widemouth blindcat, and
toothless blindcat. Thus, the Service would appreciate any additional
data, information, or comments from the public, government agencies,
the scientific community, industry, or any other interested party
concerning the status of these species. In particular, the Service
needs additional information to determine (1) the taxonomic status of
the robust blind salamander, whether or not it still exists, and, if it
still exists, the extent of its distribution; (2) the distribution of
the toothless and widemouth blindcats; and, (3) the threats to these
species.
References Cited
Longley, G. and H. Karnei. 1979. Status of Trogloglanis pattersoni
Eigenmann, the toothless blindcat, and status of Satan eurystomus
Hubbs and Bailey, the widemouth blindcat. Endangered Species Report,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Albuquerque, NM.
Potter, F.E. and S.S. Sweet. 1981. Generic boundaries in Texas cave
salamanders, and a redescription of Typhlomolge robusta (Amphibia:
Plethodontidae). Copeia 1:64-75.
Russell, W.H. 1976. Distribution of troglobitic salamanders in the
San Marcos area, Hays County, Texas. Unpubl. Report 7601, Texas
Association for Biological Investigations of Troglobitic Eurycea.
University of Texas Station, Austin, TX. 35 pp.
Author. The primary author of this document is Lisa O'Donnell,
Austin Ecological Services Field Office (see ADDRESSES section).
Authority
The authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act of
1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).
Dated: August 21, 1998.
Jamie Rappaport Clark,
Director, Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 98-24120 Filed 9-8-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P