These days many Pacific Giants remain in the water in a neotonic (un-metamorphosed) state their whole lives. On my Oregon trip, I was determined to find a terrestrial adult, and thanks to the combined efforts of a couple of obsessed friends, we located 2 in the day we searched the forest together. Opal Creek Wilderness, Oregon, USA
These days many Pacific Giants remain in the water in a neotonic (un-metamorphosed) state their whole lives. On my Oregon trip, I was determined to find a terrestrial adult, and thanks to the combined efforts of a couple of obsessed friends, we located 2 in the day we searched the forest together. Opal Creek Wilderness, Oregon, USA
It's a bit mysterious why some larval Pacific Giants metamorphose into their spectacular adult form, and others (possibly the majority) remain as neotenes. They're plentiful in the streams around Jawbone Flats, but we had to work hard to find a terrestrial adult. - Jawbone Flats, Opal Creek Wilderness Area, Oregon (USA)