Toothless blindcat  (Trogloglanis pattersoni)

As the toothless blindcat occurs only in one underground pool, any change in the pool environment could rapidly impact the entire population, making this species very vulnerable to extinction. The toothless blindcat inhabits water that is removed for human use (7), particularly for the enormous city of San Antonio. As San Antonio continues to grow at a rapid rate, ground water extraction will have an increasing impact on the blindcat's habitat (8). In addition, as human populations rise, so does the probability of contamination of the Edwards Aquifer from agricultural and industrial runoff, such as fertilisers, pesticides and heavy metals (5) (7).

In addition to the World Conservation Union (IUCN) classifying the toothless blindcat as Vulnerable (1), the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department consider this species to be Threatened (9). Controls are placed on water extraction from the Edwards Aquifer by federal and state authorities, offering the toothless blindcat a little protection (8). However, to fully protect this little known species and the unique aquatic ecosystem it inhabits, further studies and long-term monitoring are required to inform conservation actions (8).