Life History
Most amphibians have a biphasic life cycle, spending part of their life in water and part on land. However, the Georgetown Salamander is permanently aquatic and retains its gills and flattened tail throughout its life. This retention of juvenile traits is called neoteny, which is a fairly common trait within the genus Eurycea. The Georgetown Salamander is active year round.
It is believed that the Georgetown salamanders reproduce in the winter as many other Eurycea species do., The salamanders produce an estimated 30 to 50 eggs per clutch but likely lay them individually. The hatchlings are approximately one cm long and grow rapidly until they reach a head-trunk length of about 3 cm. At this point, growth is slowed and some salamanders may even shrink a small amount. The juvenile stage in Eurycea sp. is typically 2 months to 3 years. Similar species live for 5 to 15 years, though the exact lifespan of the Georgetown Salamander is unknown.
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