Comal Springs Dryopid Beetle Facts - Photos - Earth's Endangered Creatures

Scientific Name:

Stygoparnus comalensis

Group:

Insects

Status/Date Listed as Endangered:

EN-US FWS: December 18, 1997

Area(s) Where Listed As Endangered:

Texas

Creature Profile

The Comal Springs dryopid beetle was first discovered in 1987 and only recently described as a species in 1992. It is the only known subterranean aquatic member of the beetle family. Its eyes are non-functional and its skin is thin, translucent, and weakly pigmented. Adults reach only 0.12 inches long, and females are larger than males.

This species can only be found in the flowing and uncontaminated waters of the Comal and San Marcos Springs in Hays County, Texas. Although it is an aquatic insect, it does not swim, and diet probably consists of other aquatic invertebrates. It is believed that its primary habitat zone is permanently dark. Little is known about the reproductive behavior of this species.

This species is threatened due to its limited range, and a decrease in water quantity and quality and pollution due to human activities may threaten its survival. Conservation plans include monitoring of the species and its habitat, and the continued study of its biology and habitat needs.

Wikipedia Article

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Wikipedia Article
Copyright Notice: This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Stygoparnus".

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Comal Springs Dryopid Beetle Facts Last Updated:
April 29, 2017

To Cite This Page:
Mugo, C. R. 2025. "Earth's Endangered Creatures - Comal Springs Dryopid Beetle Facts" (Online). Accessed 8/13/2026 at https://earthsendangered.com/profile.asp?sp=544&ID=9.

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« Previous Page

Comal Springs Dryopid Beetle Facts Last Updated:
April 29, 2017

To Cite This Page:
Mugo, C. R. 2025. "Earth's Endangered Creatures - Comal Springs Dryopid Beetle Facts" (Online). Accessed 8/13/2026 at https://earthsendangered.com/profile.asp?sp=544&ID=9.

Need more Comal Springs Dryopid Beetle facts?

Custom Search

Eight Species Declared Extinct But May Still be Out There

1. Tasmanian Tiger
The Tasmanian tiger is endemic to Australia. Although this species is called tiger (named for its stripes) and wolf (due to its canid-like appearance), it is not a member of the cat or wolf family. It is a member of the marsupial family. Other members of this family include kangaroos and koala bears.

The last known Tasmanian tiger died in a zoo in Hobart, Tasmania in 1936, but there have been hundreds of unconfirmed sightings, and a reserve has been set up in Southwestern Tasmania in the hopes that possible surviving individuals can have adequate habitat.