Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Endangered Species Status for Toothless Blindcat and Widemouth Blindcat

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), propose to list the toothless blindcat (Trogloglanis pattersoni) and widemouth blindcat (Satan eurystomus), two cavefish species from the Edwards Aquifer in Bexar County, Texas, as endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). This determination also serves as our 12-month finding on a petition to list the toothless blindcat and widemouth blindcat. After a review of the best available scientific and commercial information, we find that listing both species is warranted. If we finalize this rule as proposed, it would extend the Act's protections to these species. We have determined that designation of critical habitat is not prudent.