Subterranean Reproduction of the Southern Two-lined Salamander (Eurycea cirrigera) from Short Mountain, Tennessee.

.—The Southern Two-lined Salamander, Eurycea cirrigera, typically inhabits the margins of small, rocky streams,springs, and seeps in forested areas. The species is found only occasionally in subterranean habitats and, consequently, isconsidered a cave visitor (accidental or trogloxene). However, we discovered egg clutches in the deep cave zone of asubterranean stream during January and February 2005, indicating that some individuals are adapted to reproduce in caves.Eggs were attached singly to form monolayer masses on the undersurfaces of submerged rocks; females were found attendingthree of nine clutches. We determined the total number of eggs/clutch, mass surface area, egg and embryo size, and stage ofdevelopment using digital images of each clutch. Embryo length correlated positively with developmental stage. Duration ofembryonic period ranged from 35-42 days; consequently, eggs were laid from early to mid-January and larvae hatched fromlate February to early March. Adult males and females migrated into the cave to breed during late autumn. Males exited thecave after mating; whereas, females brooded their eggs and exited the cave only after eggs hatched. Larvae drifteddownstream and out of the cave following heavy winter and early spring rains. Reproduction of this population is relativelyearly compared to epigean populations and may be associated with the stable aquatic cave environment.