Cicurina baronia

The Bexar County Invertebrates are troglobites, species which spend their entire lives in subterranean environments, inhabiting karst limestone caves and mesocaverns. Currently, these species have only been found in the karst areas in Bexar county, which were deemed critical habitats to the species in a 2012 ruling.[3] C. baronia specifically has only been positively identified in the Robber Baron Cave and one other cave in Alamo heights (Bexar County Distribution). Nutrient sources in this environment include leaf litter, animal droppings, and animal carcasses, making the cave ecosystem very dependent on the habitat on the surface. Troglobites also require stable temperatures and high humidity, with the cave temperature typically being close to the annual surface temperature but with much less variation. Relative humidity in the caves is normally near 100%, and relative temperature is 71°F (around 22°C).

C. baronia is one of nine invertebrates endemic to the karst caves of Bexar County that were federally listed as endangered species in the year 2000.[1] All of the Bexar County Invertebrates face high degrees of threat but vary in their potential for recovery. A five-year review was published in 2011 alongside a recovery plan for the nine species. They did not change the overall classification of the species, but recommended lowering the recovery priority number for C. baronia and Texella cokendolpheri to 5C, compared to the 2C of the other seven species. The reason for this lowered recovery priority is because the likelihood that the species can recover is low considering that it is known from only two caves and occurs in an area that is highly urbanized.[4] The species faces serious threats of habitat destruction due to urbanization and human activity on the surface where the cave entrances are located. Nonnative fire ants also present a threat to this species as they have the same habitat and nutrient sources.

Habitat destruction and interference is the major threat to this species because of the high levels of urbanization in the cave areas. Some ways in which the habitat has been impacted include being filled with cement during construction, quarrying activities, and sealing of cave entrances. These activities lead to loss of the already limited habitat range.[2] Human traffic is also a threat with the high levels of urbanization surrounding the cave's entrances, but organizations such as the Texas Cave Management Association and the Friends of Robber Baron have worked to limit the number of people who are allowed in the areas around cave entrances.[5] Changes to the surface habitat also affect the cave habitat as altered drainage patterns and plant and animal compositions contribute to the degradation of the habitat.