This was rescheduled from November 11.

Photo by Ruben Tovar

Eurycea latitans salamander, Photo by Ruben Tovar.

Eurycea latitans salamanders, Photo by Tom Devitt.

“The world beneath your feet: a salamander’s perspective”

Ruben Tovar (Ecology, Evolution and Behavior Graduate Program)

Living in caves can be difficult for animals. Without light and little prey, it’s easy to wonder: how do cave-adapted animals survive and thrive in such extreme habitats? Join us as we dive into the dark depths of Texas’s aquifers to explore the diverse salamanders that live under our feet. Using cutting edge techniques, we will learn how differences in Eurycea salamander development might lead to the evolution of bizarre cave characteristics, like small eyes, flattened heads, and longer limbs, and how these subterranean aliens offer a window into the health of Texas aquifer ecosystems.

Science Under the Stars has gone virtual! This semester all SUTS activities will be online, but they encourage you to participate outdoors under the stars in your backyard! (If wifi allows for it, of course.)

Please note that for this event, both the lecture and Q&A will be live and recorded. Here’s the schedule for this month’s event:

• November 17th: Links to the kids activities will be posted here and as an event on the Science Under the Stars Facebook page.
• November 18th, 7:00pm CST: Live online lecture and Q&A with the speaker! Please note, you must have a Zoom account to access the talk. You can get a free account on Zoom’s website.