Cloppy
New member
In April of 2019, I collected about 50 spotted salamander larvae from a pond on a property, and "transplanted" them to my pond in my backyard. They matured throughout the spring and in early summer I observed at least 5 metamorphs 10 or so feet away from the pond. Fast forward to this February, I have observed ten 5 and 6 inch long specimens swimming around in my pond at night, certain areas covered in spermatophores. But I had thought previously that it took at LEAST 2 years to sexual maturity in the warmer parts of the USA. So how can these be dropping spermatophores at only 1 year old? (No previously observed populations in my locale before I populated my pond with larvae.)