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 about 1 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 is typically two months to three years. Similar species live for five to 15 years, though the exact lifespan of the Georgetown salamander is unknown. Conservation All known populations of the Georgetown salamander occur in an area undergoing rapid urbanization. Current threats to the salamander include depletion and pollution of the Edward's Aquifer, which supplies the springs and caves in which the salamander occurs. Increases in impervious cover associated with urbanization decrease recharge of the aquifer and increase runoff and introduction of pollutants into the aquifer. Pumping of groundwater further depletes the aquifer. Sedimentation associated with land clearing and construction is another threat to the salamanders, as they are critically dependent on the presence of interstitial spaces that are eliminated by sediment. At present, only one population of the Georgetown salamander is located in a protected preserve. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality regulates activities affecting water quality for the Edwards Plateau; however, TCEQ's regulations do not address such aspects as land use, impervious cover limitations, nonpoint-source pollution, or application of fertilizers and pesticides over the recharge zone. All of these represent threats to the Georgetown salamander's habitat. Listing process In 2011, several groups, including WildEarth Guardians and the Center for Biological Diversity, sued the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) on the grounds that the Service had not met deadlines to decide on listings for a number of candidate species, including the Georgetown salamander. Settlement of the case resulted in a commitment from USFWS to review the candidate species by 2016. In 2011, the USFWS announced that Eurycea naufragia, along with three other Eurycea species found in central Texas (E. chisholmensis, E. tonkawae, and E. waterlooensis) would undergo the formal review for possible listing as an endangered species. This process is currently in progress. References Eurycea Cave salamanders Amphibians of the United States Endemic fauna of Texas Taxonomy articles created by Polbot ESA threatened species Amphibians described in 2000