New salamander stays young at heart

Species was overlooked because of youthful looks

FOREVER YOUNG  The newly described salamander species Eurycea subfluvicola (bottom) keeps some of the physical characteristics of young salamanders even as an adult. Its youthful looks make it hard to distinguish from juveniles of a related salamander species, E. multiplicata (top).

Courtesy of Michael Steffen

Like a 35-year-old man living in his parents’ basement, a recently discovered salamander species never leaves its childhood home.