population only found in Rutherford County, North Carolina, occurs near Bat Cave and is often found in rock crevices, but is sometimes recognized as a separate species characterized by different coloration and limb morphology, P. longicrus. These Bat Cave variants may have red of the dorsum prominent, patchy, or even lacking, and their sides are dark with light spots. The coloration of the Bat Cave variant is much darker than the common P. yonahlossee, and some scientists still consider them to be a separate species. Furthermore, the variant does not reach sexual maturity like P. yonahlossee, but matures according to size. Males must reach greater than 65 mm and females must be greater than 61 mm before being considered mature. During the day, it takes cover under rotting logs, rocks, or in burrows on the forest floor which are under logs, although it is argued whether or not they create these burrows or just reopen partly eradicated passages. They prefer areas of old windfalls that have shed most of their bark and logs greater than 25 cm in diameter with no more than 5 to 15 cm of the log below the surface and a thick layer of leaf litter at the interface between the log and the ground. They can also be found active on humid or rainy nights, even crossing roads in suitable habitat. Behavior and ecology Little is known about the reproductive habits of this species. Reproduction does take place terrestrially and eggs are deposited in underground cavities where, like other members of the genus, the female may guard the eggs until they hatch. Spermatogenesis most likely occurs after the emergence from hibernation. Courtship is assumed to occur in early August, as this is the time pairs of salamanders have been found under a single cover object and males have noticeably enlarged mental glands. Females then lay their eggs in late August or early September. Clutch size is dependent on the size of the female, but typically ranges from 19 to 27. Sexual maturity is thought to be around three years of age. Also, a definitive feature of maturity is the length of the mental glands which in males is about 56 mm, whereas in females it is more like 60 to 66 mm, depending again on the size of the female. Both adults and juveniles emerge at night to forage. Juveniles have been found to be