the california slender salamander ( batrachoseps attenuatus ) is a lungless salamander that is found primarily in coastal mountain areas of northern california , united states as well as in a limited part of the western foothills of the sierra nevada , california , in patches of the northern central valley of california , and in extreme southwestern oregon .

what makes this amphibian notable is that this species resides primarily in a limited range within california as one of a handful quasi-endemic amphibians in the state .

in 2001 , it was reported that , on behalf of the national park service , professor david wake and his graduate students found that the california slender salamander , the most common salamander in california , was in fact twenty separate species spread out along the coast from oregon to mexico .

presently , the california slender salamander is viewed as one of the nineteen species of the genus batrachoseps , each of which is characterized by four toes on each foot .

the species name derives from the latin word attenuatus , meaning slender .

california slender salamander

a california slender salamander . image taken on campus at san francisco state university .
a california slender salamander climbs aboard my hand . image taken on campus at sfsu .
a california slender salamander with part of its tail missing . image taken on campus at sfsu .
as a single species . but the time i took this photo back in 1978 , there were just two widespread slender salamanders along the california coast : the california slender salamander
( very local inland in n . san luis obispo co . ) . the gabilan barely overlaps with california slender salamander
gillette , j . 2002 . odor discrimination in the california slender salamander , bactrachoseps attenuatus : evidence of self recognition .
oregon has its very own slender salamander , called ( wait for it ) the oregon slender salamander , batrachoseps wrighti . but this isn ' t it . this is a california slender salamander , whose range extends across the oregon border just a little bit , along the coast .
an isolated population of garden slender salamander is found in hidden palm canyon , riverside co . it was originally described as a new species : the desert slender salamander
on a late winter day in northern california when the ground is green and wet it seems like there ' s a california slender salamander under everything you turn over .
a garden slender salamander is discovered under some trash in a los angeles county canyon .
the channel islands slender salamander is a member of family plethodontidae , the lungless salamanders .
adult , sonoma county ( on hand ) . a comparison of the sizes of the smallest genus of california salamander ( batrachoseps ) with the largest ( dicamptodon - california giant salamander ) .
a mendocino county adult slender salamander , found under a piece of bark with this ensatina .
channel islands slender salamander - channel islands national park ( u . s . national park service )
ranges from there north to del norte co . ] while the san simeon and lesser slender salamanders occur sympatrically with the black - bellied slender salamander
2001 .
california reptiles and amphibians
( on - line ) . batrachoseps campi - inyo mountain slender salamander . accessed february 21 , 2010 at urltoken .
a few quick looks at several california slender salamanders sitting still , coiled up , and quickly wriggling away .
( slender salamander ) from the desert of southern california . los angeles co . nat . hist . mus . contrib . sci . 200 : 1 - 11 .
this salamander is not included on the special animals list , meaning there are no significant conservation concerns for it in california according to the california department of fish and game .
the slender salamanders are a california specialty . they occur throughout the california coast ranges , in the sierran foothills , and in the transverse ranges of southern california , but beyond the state they make it only to oregon and to baja california ( in this they remind me of the wrentit
wake , d . , k . yanez , r . hansen . 2002 . new species of slender salamander , genus bactrachoseps , from the southern sierra nevada of california .
: all photos were taken in california . the california slender salamander was 31 mar 1978 in garden canyon , near bolinas , marin co . the gabilan slender salamander was 17 feb 2002 near aptos , santa cruz co . the santa lucia slender salamanders were on 3 & 10 feb 2002 , in garrapata state park and rip van winkle park , pacific grove ( with eggs ) , respectively . the garden slender salamander was 13 feb 1999 in cleveland national forest , orange co . all photos © 2002 don roberson , all rights reserved .
populations of california slender salamanders and the morphologically similar gabilan mountains slender salamander ( b . gavilanensis ) narrowly ( by a few hundred m to a few km ) overlap in geographic distribution along the southern border of the range of california slender salamanders in santa cruz and san benito counties ( yanev , 1978 , 1980 ; jockusch et al . , 2001 ) .
schoenherr aa , feldmeth cr , emerson mj : natural history of the islands of california . 1999 , berkeley , university of california press
california slender salamander - batrachoseps attenuatus . i can only base this off of where this species was caught , which was in northern california . i was able to catch salamanders straight from my garden , which looked exactly the same . these are generally very small salamanders that could be found in moist areas near the coast of california .
brame , a . h . 1970 .
a new species of batrachoseps ( slender salamander ) from the desert of southern california .
los angeles county museum contributions to science no . 200 .
( taxonomy following crother et al . 2001 ; see also jockusch , wake & yanev 1998 ) . and the inyo mountain slender salamander
populations in northern california seem to be most dense in mature forests ( petranka 1998 ) . in the coast range of california and oregon ,
desert slender salamanders are very closely related to the garden slender salamander , batrachoseps major major , a common denizen of coastal southern california yards . they ' re very similar in appearance , about four inches long - - half of that length being tail - - thin , and dark . the desert slender has a slightly broader head than the garden slender , and its lighter color a bit more tinged with maroon . most of us would need to have one of each in hand to tell the difference . when threatened , slender salamanders will either coil up or lift their tails in a defensive response : the desert slender is the only slender salamander that does both at once .
typical of most slender salamanders , when disturbed , this salamander may coil up and remain still , relying on cryptic coloring to avoid detection .
the sierra nevada portion of the range is poorly defined , and some of the museum specimens currently allocated to california slender salamanders on the basis of morphology may be misidentified . two similar - looking species approach or overlap the range of california slender salamanders in the central sierra nevada : gregarious slender salamanders ( b . gregarius ) range as far north as mariposa county , just south of the southernmost range limits for california slender salamanders ; and hell hollow slender salamanders ( b . diabolicus ) may be broadly sympatric with california slender salamanders between el dorado and calaveras counties , although the two have been found together at only one site ( north slope of the american river ; jockusch et al . , 1998 ) .
slender salmanders ( genus batrachoseps ) have only 4 toes on their hind feet . all other california salamanders have 5 toes on their hind feet .
[ e . g . , jockusch , yanev & wake ( 2001 ) ] . another new species - - the santa gabriel mountains slender salamander
desert slender salamander .
beacham ' s guide to the endangered species of north america . . retrieved july 09 , 2018 from urltoken urltoken
yanev , k . p . ( 1979 ) . ' ' biogeography and distribution of three parapatric salamander species in coastal and borderland california . ' '
garden slender salamanders are sympatric with monterey ensatinas ( ensatina eschscholtzii eschscholtzii ) and arboreal salamanders ( aneides lugubris ) at many localities , although the presence of garden slender salamanders in suburban gardens is unique among southern california salamanders .
k . interspecific associations / exclusions . over most of their range , california slender salamanders are the only species of batrachoseps present . along the southern slopes of the santa cruz mountains , the ranges of california slender salamanders and morphologically similar gabilan mountains slender salamanders ( b . gavilanensis ) overlap , and they are locally sympatric ( e . g . , hecker pass on the santa cruz - santa clara county line ; jockusch et al . , 2001 ) . in general , california slender salamanders are found in more mesic and upland sites than the other species . habitat associations for california slender salamanders in the sierra nevada are not well understood , and only a single area of sympatry with hell hollow slender salamanders is known ( jockusch et al . , 1998 ) .
california newts and egg sacs in shallow water at the edge of a pond .
western long - toed salamander eggs with well - developed embryos close to hatching .
s . comments . until yanev’s work ( 1978 , 1980 ) , california slender salamanders included several other forms now recognized as distinct species : black - bellied slender salamanders ( b . nigriventris ) , gregarius slender salamanders , hell hollow slender salamanders ( b . diabolicus , in part ) , as well as the recently described b . gavilanensis and b . luciae from the coast ranges of central california . collectively , these taxa exhibit a derived , attenuate morphology ; however , recent studies of mtdna gene sequences ( jockusch , 1997b ) support yanev’s ( 1978 , 1980 ) finding that california slender salamanders are phylogenetically isolated with respect to other members of the genus . for papers published prior to yanev ( 1980 ) , it may be impossible to determine whether references to california slender salamanders actually pertain to attenuatus or to sympatric , visually indistinguishable ( and as yet undescribed ) species of the pacific slender salamander ( b . pacificus ) complex .
range the channel islands slender salamander is an endemic species found only on the channel islands , although not on santa barbara island . interestingly , channel islands slender salamanders share their habitat on santa cruz island with another similar species , the black - bellied slender salamanders without interbreeding . in one february survey , researchers recorded 155 channel islands slender salamanders and 152 black - bellied slender salamanders in similar habitat . however , only channel islands slender salamanders were found under driftwood on a sandy substrate near the ocean . in general , when only one species is found at a more open site , it is usually channel islands slender salamanders .
u . s . fish and wildlife service . 1982 .
desert slender salamander recovery plan .
u . s . fish and wildlife service , portland .
> university of california , berkeley , ca , usa . accessed 9 jul 2018 .
may have prevented the establishment of terrestrial isopods . however , on the remaining islands where these isopods form a substantial part of the slender salamander diet ( pers . obs . ) their presence is likely to have had a positive effect on salamander populations .
desert slender salamander .
beacham ' s guide to the endangered species of north america . . encyclopedia . com . ( july 9 , 2018 ) . urltoken
because it was so recently discovered , little information is available on the historical distribution of the desert slender salamander . it has been found only on the lower slopes of the santa rosa mountains in riverside county in southern california . because of its isolation from other members of the genus and its primitive characteristics , scientists surmise that the slender desert salamander is a relict species that was more widespread during earlier , wetter geological epochs .
a small slim salamander with 18 - 21 costal grooves . short limbs , a long slender body with a narrow head and a long tail , and conspicuous costal and caudal grooves give this species the worm - like appearance typical of most slender salamanders . there are four toes on the front and hind feet , which is also typical of slender salamanders . ( other california salamanders have five toes on the hind feet . )
a small slim salamander , with relatively short limbs and 17 - 21 costal grooves . there are 9 - 12 costal folds between adpressed limbs . a narrow head , long slender body , very long tail , and conspicuous costal and caudal grooves , give this species the worm - like appearance typical of most slender salamanders , however b . m . major is larger with a more robust body than most of the other slender salamander species . there are four toes on the front and hind feet , which is also typical of slender salamanders . ( other california salamanders have five toes on the hind feet . )
> university of california , berkeley , ca , usa . accessed jul 9 , 2018 .
breeding season breeding season for inyo mountains slender salamanders occurs in late fall or winter .
thanks for checking out backyard zoologist ! according to the peterson guide of western reptiles and amphibians ( the go to source for herpetologists ) , there aren’t any california slender salamanders in tulare county . that being said , sometimes animals pop up where they are not known to be by science . however , it is more likely a very similar species of salamander called the gregarius salamander ( batrachoseps gregarius ) that is almost indistinguishable from the california slender salamander but definitely lives in tulare county . the major difference between the two species is that the gregarius salamander has a mental mucus secreting scent gland called the hedonic gland , but complete studies still need to be done on this . thanks again and please let me know if you have any other questions !
maiorana ( 1978a ) suggested that differing patterns of fine - scale distribution between sympatric arboreal salamanders ( aneides lugubris ) and california slender salamanders were due to differential cover use—arboreal salamanders prefer structurally diverse microhabitats ( e . g . , rock piles ) with larger openings and retreats relative to those preferred by california slender salamanders . further , she suggested that competition with arboreal salamander for burrows , rather than prey availability , may limit the density of batrachoseps in some areas .
a few dozen desert slender salamanders may still go about their business in desert canyons we haven ' t bothered to search thoroughly . or it may be that the desert slender salamander ' s luck ran out when floods scoured hidden palms canyon over the last few decades , the nearly inevitable last blow from a climate that started to eradicate slender salamanders in the desert some 12 , 000 years ago . if the latter proves true , the desert slender salamander will have the distinction of being one of very few recent extinctions that may not be entirely our fault .
feeding feeding probably occurs both above and below ground . studies describe that a similar species , the california slender salamander ( b . attenuatus ) capture prey using a projectile tongue and feed on small invertebrates , which consist of on earthworms , small slugs , a variety of terrestrial arthropods including sowbugs and millipedes , and insects including collembolans , aphids , caterpillars , small beetles , beetle larvae , and ants . the channel islands slender salamander probably eats a similar array of prey items .
laws & regulations within california , you must have a valid california fishing license to possess any reptile and / or amphibian and the possession limit for slender salamanders within california is 4 . however , b . aridus is a strictly protected , class endangered species with require special licence conditions , while b . campi , b . simatus and b . stebbinsi also demand special permits for collection .
this is not a scientific key to identifying salamanders found in california . it is meant to be used as a basic tool for the novice who wants identify a salamander primarily by appearance and location . it might help you to look at the list below of what i believe to be the most commonly encountered salamanders in california , based on personal experience and email i have received asking me to identify salamanders . most of these can either be found near heavily - populated areas , or are species that conspicuously crawl in the open either at night or in daylight . you will also find it helpful to look at these pages : california salamanders overview - a general description of the natural history of california ' s salamanders . salamander photo index - a picture of every kind of salamander found in the state . salamander range maps page - range maps for every salamander found in the state .
when the desert slender salamander was first discovered , it was assigned to its own species : batrachoseps aridus . about 10 years ago researchers examined the genomes of slender salamander species throughout california and baja , and found that desert slenders and garden slenders were too closely related to constitute distinct species . but the large - scale differences between desert and garden slenders - - the desert slender ' s unique defensive behavior , as well as the smaller number of grooves in their tails - - were too marked not to be reflected in the terminology . they lumped them together as subspecies within batrachoseps major .
brodie , e . d . , jr . ( 1977 ) .
salamander antipredator postures .
k . interspecific associations / exclusions . unknown . this is the only salamander species within the range .
appearance the channel islands slender salamander is a small slim salamander with 18 - 20 costal grooves , which denote its rib connections . it has short limbs , a narrow head , long slender body , very long tail , and with its conspicuous costal and end of torso grooves , this species has the worm - like appearance typical of most slender salamanders . there are four toes on the front and hind feet , which is also typical of slender salamanders . fairly robust for a slender salamander , with relatively long legs . its coloration is brown to pinkish above with a wide dorsal stripe with indefinite borders , and may be made up of many light speckles . the throat and underside of the tail are pale and the abdomen area is whitish or slate , with light and dark speckling .
hollingsworth , b . , k . roberts . 2009 .
san diego natural history museum
( on - line ) . batrachoseps major garden slender salamander . accessed march 31 , 2010 at urltoken .
storer , t . i . ( 1925 ) .
a synopsis of the amphibia of california .
is allied to the pacificus group of slender salamanders . it had long been placed as a subspecies of
i live near springville california in tulare county . ive seen two california slender salamanders on my property , from what i’ve been able to see on the internet no others have been reported here . the nearest have been about 60 miles away in hanford . do you know if they have been seen in this area before ?
the reclusive desert slender salamander spends most of its life within porous - soil , bedrock fractures , or limestone sheeting , where groundwater seepage provides moisture . occasionally found under loose rocks by day , the salamander is most active at night . when disturbed , it winds itself up into a watch - spring - like coil .
on santa catalina island , garden slender salamanders are found in coastal sage scrub ( schoenherr et al . , 1999 ) . on south todos santos island off the pacific coast of northern baja california , garden slender salamanders were found under rocks on a northeast - facing slope in early march ( zweifel , 1958 ) .
r . parasites . two helminths are recorded from california slender salamanders : batracholandros salamandrae ( lehmann , 1954 ; goldberg et al . , 1998c ) and cylindrotaenia diana ( helfer , 1949 ; lehmann , 1960 ) .
jockusch , e . , k . yanev , d . wake . 2001 . molecular phylogenetic analysis of slender salamanders , genus batrachoseps ( amphibia : pletheodontidae ) from central coastal california with descriptions of four new species .
kcetlink , formerly community television of southern california , is a 501 ( c ) ( 3 ) nonprofit organization .
found on the pacific coast of north america , from southern oregon ( near the mouth of the rogue river ) to central california ( to the vicinity of the san benito river . also found in the foothills of the sierra nevada from big chico creek to the american river drainage in central california . scattered populations inhabit california ' s sacramento valley , including sutter buttes . isolated populations exist at clipkapudi and little cow creeks in shasta county , california .
this is the same juvenile california newt see above right two weeks later , fully transformed into its terrestrial phase .
a female western long - toed salamander laying eggs underwater at night in early february , king county , washington .
o . predators . bleich ( 1978 ) speculated that western skinks ( eumeces skiltonianus ) and ring - necked snakes ( diadophis punctatus ) were potential predators , although the latter species is unrecorded from desert slender salamander sites .
are found in the nearctic biome . these salamanders are endemic to the inyo mountains of inyo county , california . this region is north of california ' s mojave desert and is one of the most arid spots in north america .
adult , contra costa county . when uncovered , slender salamanders are often found resting in this coiled position .
inyo mountains slender salamanders have a life span between 7 to 10 years . no studies have been conducted with
sub - adult , dug up next to an underground water pipe in palm springs , riverside county © jamie ingersoll the garden slender salamander has extended its range east into some irrigated and landscaped desert areas such as palm springs .
at pt . lobos . when i moved to the monterey peninsula in 1979 , one of the first things i did was to visit pt . lobos and turn over logs until i found a slender salamander - - since only
hubbard , m . e . ( 1903 ) . ' ' correlated protective devices in some california salamanders . ' '
yanev , k . , d . wake . 1981 . genic differentiation in a relict desert salamander , batrachoseps campi .
a usgs identification guide , in progress . the pages that are completed have great close - up photos and colorful range maps . for batrachoseps , there is a page on the relictual / garden / desert / pacific slender salamander group .
introduction the channel island slender salamander is found on santa cruz , san miguel , santa rosa , and anacapa islands and is the only endemic amphibian found on any of the california islands . this secretive creature is found under rocks and logs ( mainly near streams ) and also in the soil litter , or duff , during the winter and spring rainy season .
eggs on an underwater stick laid by the female western long - toed salamander to the left , soon after she finished .
) ; i think it should be labeled
attack of the giant batrachoseps .
but slender salamanders in the genus
the california slender salamander ( batrachoseps attenuatus ) , native to the united states , is known for its extremely long tail that allows it to wrap itself with its own tail giving it the appearance of a snake . its bulgy eyes and bright coloration add to the charm of this small salamander . this species resides in grasslands with scattered trees , chaparral , woodlands and redwood forests . perhaps one of its most fascinating features is the fact that it completely lacks lungs and breathes primarily through its skin .
one of the california desert ' s most unlikely inhabitants is missing . the desert slender salamander , declared endangered soon after its discovery in 1969 due to its restriction to two tiny canyon bottoms in the santa rosa mountains , has not been seen in the wild since the 1990s . still , wildlife biologists aren ' t ready to declare it extinct . at least not yet .
has experienced extensive diversification on the baja california peninsula , where four endemic lineages have persisted for at least 4 million years .
maiorana , v . c . ( 1978 ) .
behavior of an unobservable species : diet selection by a salamander .
views of a large mass of female california newts in the breeding pond , as they go about laying and securing their eggs .
island populations are excellent model systems for studies of phenotypic , ecological and molecular evolution . in this study , molecular markers of mitochondrial and nuclear derivation were used to investigate the evolution , structure and origin of populations of the california slender salamander ( batrachoseps attenuatus ) inhabiting the six major islands of san francisco bay , formed following the rising of sea level around 9 , 000 years ago .
the following account is modified from amphibian declines : the conservation status of united states species , edited by michael lannoo ( ©2005 by the regents of the university of california ) , used with permission of university of california press . the book is available from uc press .
we have your guide to the thrills , chills , and spills of the five best county fairs that southern california has to offer .
distribution of ensatina in california , showing the ranges of individual subspecies . click on the map to see a key to the subspecies .
often found in suburban yards and lots ( stebbins 1985 ) ; therefore this salamander seems tolerant of moderate habitat alteration from human activity .
( amphibia : plethodontidae ) , from central coastal california with descriptions of four new species . herpetological monographs 15 : 54 - 99 .
2005 .
urltoken
( on - line ) . batrachoseps campi inyo mountains salamander . accessed march 15 , 2010 at urltoken .
black - bellied slender salamanders , b . nigriventris , and garden slender salamanders , b . m . major , overlap in range in southern california . ongoing surveys have found that both species occur throughout most of the l . a . basin , as well as in the mountains and foothills . it can be difficult to identify these two species where they both are found because it is hard to tell them apart unless they are side by side and that is not often possible . you can ' t tell just by the size or the body color alone . both species are about the same size , and both have similar color variations . the best way to determine the species is to look at the color of the salamander ' s underside . ( go to this page for more information about how to differentiate a black - bellied slender salamander from a garden slender salamander . ) if you find a salamander in l . a . or orange counties , it could be either species . ( if you find it high up in the san gabriel mountains , look here . ) if you find a black - bellied slender salamander in one of these counties , it will be helpful to those who are tracking their range in the area if you take some pictures and then report your observation at h . e . r . p . and inaturalist . people there will also help you to confirm your id as long as you photograph the underside .
inyo mountains slender salamanders are ectothermic and sustain relatively low metabolic rates . significant individual and geographic variation exists in this complex species .
the use of pheromones and other chemical cues likely play a large roll in communication and environmental perception by inyo mountains slender salamanders .
d . juvenile habitat . maiorana ( 1976 ) found that juvenile california slender salamanders were more likely than adults to be active under sub - optimal surface conditions . differential use of surface cover elements is unstudied , although juveniles often occur under relatively smaller pieces of cover .
that ' s partly because few people , if any , have looked . a 2009 review of desert slender salamander management by the u . s . fish and wildlife service admits right up front that interest in the subspecies isn ' t what it used to be :
this salamander stalks and eats small invertebrates , with flies and ants making up the bulk of its diet . the influence of season , temperature , moisture , food supply , predation , and breeding on the salamander ' s surface activity and population size are largely unknown . little is known about the salamander ' s breeding habits . females probably lay eggs between november and january soon after the first heavy rains of winter .
i . egg deposition sites . oviposition sites are unknown . presumably , desert slender salamander females deposit egg clutches deep within limestone crevices ( hidden palm canyon ) where moisture may be present year - round . egg attendance by females and communal nesting are unknown for this species .
if you spend any time at all puttering around in los angeles gardens , especially those that get a little supplemental water , you ' ve almost certainly encountered a garden slender , relaxing under a terra cotta pot or under the firewood . you may not have recognized them as salamanders : their legs are so small it ' s easy to miss them , and their grooved tails and general coloring give them the overall look of dark earthworms at first glance . but there are a lot of them , and of the 20 or so other species of slender salamanders in california . slender salamanders are plentiful enough that you occasionally hear them referred to as the most common vertebrate in california .
size : 1 1 / 4 - 2 1 / 3 inches ( 3 . 2 - 5 . 9 cm ) snout to vent , and about twice that length with a full tail . this is the small worm - like salamander commonly found in gardens and yards in coastal southern california . it is often seen under surface objects , especially in moist and shaded areas , but it may also be found under cover in open areas including coastal chaparral . this is a small , thin salamander , which might look like a worm on first sight , before the tiny limbs are noticed . often they will be found coiled up under a surface object . when disturbed , they may spring up and writhe on the ground , wagging their tail , which sometimes is let loose as a distraction . it is also easily detached when a salamander is handled . many of these salamanders will be found with an incompletely re - grown tail . this is one of two small , slender salamander occurring in southern california in the areas shown on the map below , but the second species is less commonly encountered and is found in the mountains . there are many other species of slender salamanders occurring throughout the state which all look so much alike that they are nearly impossible to identify without using a range map . check the salamander range maps page to see the distribution of other slender salamanders or batrachoseps in the state .
inyo mountains slender salamanders often resemble worms to predators , therefore animals that prey on worms are usually predators to these salamanders as well .
as recently as 1954 all populations of batrachoseps in california were assigned to this species , but on the basis of work by brame and murray ( 1968 ) and especially yanev ( 1980 ) , the range of the species has become increasingly restricted to northern california and the northern sierra nevada .
( annual meeting of the american society of zoologists , los angeles , california , usa , december 26 - 30 , 1993 ) . ' '
marlow , r . w . , j . m . brode , and d . b . wake . 1979 . a new salamander , genus
about 550 existing species of amphibians are categorized under the common name of salamander . the extinct species are grouped under caudata and the extant ones are grouped as urodela . all of the species under the genus of salamander have almost similar physical appearance and prefer similar habitats as well as many habits .
2 . historical versus current abundance . early reports ( e . g . , stebbins , 1954a ; anderson , 1960 ) and more recent fieldwork by r . w . h . , d . b . w . , and colleagues suggest that california slender salamander population densities in the coastal portion of the range remain high . estimates of densities range from 4 , 470 / ha ( contra costa county ; anderson , 1960 , citing data from hendrickson , 1954 ) to 17 , 290 / ha on red rock island in san francisco bay ( anderson , 1960 ) . stebbins ( 1954a ) reported that a contra costa county population of california slender salamanders ( presumably the same site studied by hendrickson , 1954 ) occurred at densities relative to ensatinas ( ensatina eschscholtzii ) of 7 : 1 ; he estimated the latter to occur at 170–200 adults / ac . this suggests a population density of 1 , 190–1 , 400 / ac ( 2 , 939–3 , 458 / ha ) for california slender salamanders .
2 . historical versus current abundance . while formerly widespread and common in southern california , garden slender salamanders have been extirpated from much of their historical range due to habitat destruction ( cunningham , 1960 ; wake , 1996 ) . delisle et al . ( 1986 ) recorded garden slender salamanders from only two sites along the southern base of the santa monica mountains ( lowland areas that have experienced substantial habitat loss ) but found black - bellied slender salamanders ( b . nigriventris ) at 31 localities from higher elevations , where native habitats have been less affected by development .
adult male northwestern salamander found in a pond with many eggs during the breeding season . here you can see the swollen vent typical of breeding males .
and at first glance , the desert slender salamander - - batrachoseps major aridus - - wouldn ' t seem like an exception . a member of the plethodontid or lungless salamander family , desert slenders breathe through their skin - - which means they need to keep their skin moist in order to facilitate the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide , which means that if they dry out they suffocate . which is not a useful trait in the desert .
o . predators . despite their broad distribution and local abundance in southern california , reports of natural predators of garden slender salamanders are rare . ring - necked snakes ( diadophis punctatus ) have been observed feeding on garden slender salamanders ( holland and goodman , 1998 ; d . holland , personal communication ) . ervin et al . ( 2003 ) reported predation by a two - striped garter snake ( thamnophis hammondii ) . feral pigs are reported to prey on the salamander species occurring on santa catalina island , although specific reference to batrachoseps is lacking ( schoenherr et al . , 1999 ) .
the small sections that are suitable for this desert salamander are localized along a 40 km section of the inyo mountains and some surrounding canyons and streams . this species and closely related desert slender salamanders ( batrachoseps major aridus ) are the only two types of salamanders that occur exclusively in desert ecosystems .
endemic to california and baja california norte . found in the coastal interior of southern california from the foothills of the santa monica , san gabriel and san bernardino mountains , south into baja california to the vicinity of el rosario . also found in a few desert localities where they have extended their range eastward through san gorgonio pass , at cabezon and snow creek village , riverside county , and into the city of palm springs , taking advantage of human irrigation and landscaping . they have also been found east of jacumba in san diego county . found on santa catalina island , the coronados islands , and todos santo island .
this short video shows a northwestern salamander breeding pond during the february breeding season , including several egg masses , and a paedomorph in the water at night .
slender salamanders use several defense tactics , including : - coiling and remaining still , relying on cryptic coloring to avoid detection . - uncoiling quickly and springing away repeatedly bouncing over the ground , then remaining still again to avoid detection . - detaching the tail , which wriggles on the ground to distract a predator from the salamander long enough for it to escape . ( after its tail is detached or severed , the salamander will grow a new tail . )
brame , a . h . , jr . and murray , k . f . ( 1968 ) . ' ' three new slender salamanders (
comparison of the molecular data and the interpretations drawn therefrom with an earlier morphological study of many of the same salamander populations show some of the same evolutionary trends .
garthwaite rl , lawson r : oniscidea ( isopoda ) of the san francisco bay area . proc california acad sci . 1992 , 47 : 303 - 328 .
is in the inyo mountains between owens valley and saline valley of inyo county , california . the elevational range of the habitat extends from 550 to 2620 meters .
i . breeding migrations . unknown . we expect that breeding movements are similar to garden slender salamanders ( batrachoseps major ) , their close phylogenetic relatives .
here ' s a couple more attractive slender salamanders from the redwood forests . i particularly like the color patterns on the back of the second one .
k . interspecific associations / exclusions . garden slender salamanders are sympatric with black - bellied slender salamanders from southern los angeles county to the southern limits for black - bellied slender salamanders ( b . nigriventris ) in orange and riverside counties ( brame , 1970 ; glaser , 1970 ; wake , 1996 ) . in areas where both species occur , there is a general pattern of ecological segregation , with garden slender salamanders occurring in open , grassy areas , mostly absent from slopes , while black - bellied slender salamanders are largely restricted to areas with tree cover ( campbell , 1931b ; lowe and zweifel , 1951 ; cunningham , 1960 ) . however , at some sites with northern exposures , both species have been taken under the same cover ( campbell , 1931b ) .
clark jm : fossil plethodontid salamanders from the latest miocene of california . journal of herpetology . 1985 , 19 : 41 - 47 . 10 . 2307 / 1564418 .
mtdna sequences confirm a los angeles county origin for the extralimital population of b . major now established in the southern san joaquin valley ( jockusch , 1996 ) . several large commercial nurseries in southern california supply plants to retail nurseries in central california ; this seems a likely method for the transport of salamanders and eggs , or both .
a big ball of california newts forms in the breeding pond when a male and female in amplexus are approached by several male newts who want to take the female .
this short video shows some western long - toed salamander eggs on submerged sticks . some of the eggs are temporarily pulled out of the water for a better look .
4 . conservation . large portions of the historical range have been modified by development for housing , agriculture , and other activities , although california slender salamanders are still present over most of their original range . in some places , such as the san francisco bay region , they continue to be locally abundant in urban or suburban edge settings ( e . g . , gardens , vacant lots ) . habitat loss is perhaps most important in areas where the species has only a limited presence , such as the floor of california’s central valley . california slender salamanders live in narrow strips of riparian oak woodlands along small creeks draining into the central valley . as modern agriculture replaces these residual habitats with drainage ditches , the salamanders survive only by becoming symbiotic with humans ( they now occur in both sacramento and woodland ) .
endemic to california and extreme southwest oregon . occurs from central california south of the bay area in san benito county , north along the coast and coast ranges into oregon and in the foothills of the sierra nevada mountains from butte county to calaveras county . isolated populations occur in scattered areas in the northern central valley and in shasta county .
block , w . m . and morrison , m . l . ( 1998 ) . ' ' habitat relationships of amphibian and reptiles in california oak woodlands . ' '
john sullivan ' s ' wild herps ' : a personal checklist with great photos and stories of finding many of our western herps , centered in pacific grove , california .
( caudata : plethodontidae ) from the sierra nevada , california . los angeles co . nat . hist . mus . contrib . sci . 472 : 1 - 17 .
due to its scarce and fragile desert riparian habitat , inyo mountains slender salamanders are protected under california law . these salamanders are also registered as a species of special concern by the california department of fish and game . all populations are located on federal lands managed by the u . s . bureau of land management or usda forest service . the estimated population size is small therefore protection of all populations is necessary to maintain diversity . some populations have been declining due to spring alterations related to mining . although
the desert slender salamander is an anatomically primitive member of its genus , measuring less than 4 in ( 10 . 2 cm ) from the snout to the tip of the tail . it has four toes on each foot and a large rounded head . it is dark maroon to deep chocolate with numerous tiny silvery blue spots and scattered large patches of gold . the belly is dark maroon , and the tail a contrasting flesh color . this salamander was discovered and described as a new species in 1970 .
although i have seen hundreds if not thousands of california slender salamanders , and photographed many , from time to time i ' m still compelled to take more photos of them . after all , they are still quite cute . and you never know when new dna studies will split out another species , or three , or ten .
speaking of which - one of the cool things i came across while learning about this salamander was an observation by a scientist who was working with these animals in lab conditions . he was trying to learn about anti - predator mechanisms for this species . of course he came across the usual things - they drop their tails , or these amphibians will flip themselves to push themselves away from the threat and then sit still . but , when one salamander was exposed to a garter snake , it prevented being eaten by looping its tail around the snake’s head , forming a knot . then the salamander released an adhesive skin secretion that glued the snake’s jaw shut for 48 hours . salamander win !
jockusch , e . l . , k . p . yanev , and d . b . wake . 2001 . molecular phylogenetic analysis of slender salamanders , genus
this species distribution model was produced for a limited extent within the drecp region , defined as a union of 10 km buffers of the tehachapi slender salamander’s cwhr range ( california department of fish and wildlife , biogeographic data branch , 2008 ) and detections , at 270 m resolution with 33 detections points obtained feb . 2013 from cnddb ( california department of fish and wildlife , biogeographic data branch ) and herpnet urltoken model was built with the following 5 environmental predictors ( provided to cbi by frank davis’ biogeography lab at uc santa barbara , created for the ca energy commission’s project “cumulative biological impacts framework for solar energy in the ca desert” , 500 - 10 - 021 ) in order of importance :
) . dispersal is very rare in this salamander , which has some of the lowest reported home ranges in vertebrates and exhibits strong phylopatry , promoting isolation by distance . anderson [
( brame 1970 ) . this habitat was purchased by calif . fish & game and is managed for the salamander ' s protection . the taxa was recently considered a subspecies of
bury , r . b . 1971 . endangered and rare reptiles and amphibians of california . unpublished project , mus . vert . zool . , u . c . berkeley .
geologists have unearthed their fossils in kazakhstan and china , which are the oldest of salamander fossils . those fossils are reportedly from middle jurassic era and are 164 million years old .
not so with desert slenders : estimates of the subspecies ' total numbers seem to top out at around 500 . the total known area of desert slender salamander habitat is less than two acres , most of it in guadalupe canyon near la quinta - - and that canyon has historically low salamander density compared to the real desert slender hotspot in hidden palms canyon near palm desert . estimates of the salamander ' s population are just that , and the experts admit that their guesses may be off by a considerable margin . desert slenders are hard to count . they ' re hard to find . they spend most of their lives hiding , much of that time literally underground - - in leaf litter , in animal burrows ( including earthworm tunnels ) , and in between layers of rock outcrops , such as the thin , flat layers of a limestone outcrop in hidden palms canyon .
4 . conservation . desert slender salamanders are listed as endangered at both state and federal levels . all parts of their known range occur on public lands adminstered by the u . s . bureau of land management or the california department of fish and game . the hidden palms ecological reserve , harboring the largest population , is closed to public access .
] advanced two hypotheses to explain the presence of salamander populations on the san francisco bay islands . these two hypotheses can be tested by means of data gathered from discrete molecular markers :
size : their size varies with different species , ranging from 2 . 5 cm to 20 cm . chinese giant salamander can grow up to a length of 5 . 9 ft .
bury , r . b . and martin , m . ( 1973 ) .
comparative studies on the distribution and foods of plethodontid salamanders in the redwood region of northern california .
4 . conservation . much of the historical habitat of garden slender salamanders in southern california has been altered permanently by human development , thus fragmenting the range of this otherwise widespread species . although portions of their range appear to be protected , examination of the relationships between genetically distinctive range segments of b . major and the long - term viability of native landscapes is needed .
although much of the work on slender salamanders recently has been of biochemical analysis , the various species do differ in body size and length , leg size and length , head shape , and body color ( as well as details of teeth or skeleton that we can ' t see on live animals ) . a fair number of species have variation in the color and lightness of their back stripe , but in my part of the world in monterey county , the gabilan tends to have a nice coppery stripe while the santa lucia tends to remain quite dark and sooty ( but exceptions occur ) . the gabilan is considered to have short limbs while those of santa lucia are more robust ; neither is as slim - headed as california slender salamander
the following status listings are copied from the april 2018 special animals list and the 2017 endangered and threatened animals list , both of which are published by the california department of fish and wildlife .
* * martínez - solano i , peralta - garcía a , jockusch el , wake db , vázquez - domínguez e , parra - olea g . molecular systematics of batrachoseps ( caudata , plethodontidae ) in southern california and baja california : mitochondrial - nuclear dna discordance and the evolutionary history of b . major . mol phylogenet evol . 2012 jan 21 . [ epub ahead of print ]
the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in california as huell visits the roton rocket , an unsuccessful yet imaginative attempt by a private company to create the first single stage to orbit space vehicle .
the same california newt larva seen to the left a few weeks later in the process of metamorphosing into its terrestrial phase . ( note the reduced gills , orange coloring , and thinner tail .
inyo mountains slender salamanders use their projectile tongues to find and pull in prey from the surrounding environment . their tongues are sticky and easily grab hold of insects and other small prey .
, from the inyo mountains of california , with a discussion of relationships in the genus . los angeles co . nat . hist . mus . contrib . sci . 308 : 1 - 17 .
most of the salamander species mate during the spring season , usually after the first rain of the season . the period between the months of march and april is the peak time of their mating .
j . torpor ( hibernation ) . body temperatures below 4 . 0 ˚c have not been recorded , and much of the range of garden slender salamanders rarely experiences nighttime temperatures below freezing .
c . direct development . although unreported , we presume that desert slender salamanders undergo direct development , as is the case with other species of bolitoglossine plethodontids . dates of hatching are unknown .
in pacific grove , near an egg mass ( possibly its own eggs ) . both the salamander and the eggs were under a log just as shown - - i did not touch any of them .
if you’re getting to know your local slender salamanders , keep in mind that they are most active at night . also , if you’d like to handle them , here are a few suggestions :


eclactistis is a genus of moths of the oecophoridae family .

there is only one species in this genus : eclactistis byrseuta ( meyrick , 1913 ) that is found in new guinea this species has a wingspan of 14-15mm .

an australian species eclactistis anisopasta turner 1935 that was described in this genus was transferred to baioglossa .

eclactistis

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to cite this page : myers , p . , r . espinosa , c . s . parr , t . jones , g . s . hammond , and t . a . dewey . 2018 . the animal diversity web ( online ) . accessed at https : / / animaldiversity . org .
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