Range in California: Red
Range Map of Southern Sierra
Nevada Slender Salamanders |
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Adult, Tulare County |
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Adult, Tulare County |
Adult, Tulare County |
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Habitat, 3,000 ft., Tulare County |
Habitat, 3,400 ft., Tulare County |
Habitat, Tulare County
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Below are comparisons with two Slender Salamanders that are found with or near the range of B. kawia
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Sympatric B. gregarius (top) B. kawia (bottom.) Note the larger, more robust limbs and body of B. kawia.
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Description |
| Size |
| Adults are 1 1/4 - 1 7/8 inches long (3.2 - 4.7 cm) from snout to vent. |
| Appearance |
| A small slim plethodontid salamander, which breathes through smooth moist thin skin. 18-20 costal grooves. Short 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. 4 toes on front and hind feet, also typical of Slender Salamanders. (Other California salamanders have 5 toes on the hind feet.) Dark brown or black above with a brownish or rusty dorsal stripe which is usually absent or not apparent. Whitish speckling is extensive, especially on the sides. Venter is gray and lighter than the sides. |
| Behavior |
| Most Batrachoseps are active on rainy or wet nights when temperatures are moderate, fall through spring, retreating underground when the soil dries or when air temperature drops to near freezing. At higher elevations, activity may be restricted to spring and early summer and early fall. Found under rocks, logs, bark, and other debris. Batrachoseps species, when disturbed, may coil up and remain still, then uncoil quickly and spring away, repeatedly bouncing over the ground. The tail is easily broken off, but it can be regenerated. Probably a sit-and-wait predator. Occurs in sympatry with B. gregarius. and sympatry with B. relictus is possible. |
| Diet |
| Probably eats a variety of invertebrates. |
| Reproduction |
| Batrachoseps lay eggs in moist places on land. Young hatch fully formed. |
| Range |
| Endemic to California. Found only in the Kaweah river drainage in Tulare county. |
| Habitat |
| Inhabits areas with scattered trees, and in mixed coniferous forest at higher elevations. 1,640 - 7,200 ft. (500 - 2,200 m.) |
| Taxonomic Notes |
| Prior to its description in 1998, B. kawia would have been identified as B. pacificus. |
| Conservation Issues (Conservation Status) |
| Listed as imperiled by NatureServe, the reason why is not clear. |
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Taxonomy |
| Family |
Plethodontidae |
Lungless Salamanders |
| Genus |
Batrachoseps |
Slender Salamanders |
Species
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kawia |
Sequoia Slender Salamander |
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Original Description |
Jockusch, E. L., D. B. Wake, and K. P. Yanev. "New species of slender salamanders, Batrachoseps
(Amphibia: Plethodontidae), from the Sierra Nevada of California." Contributions in Science, Natural History
Museum of Los Angeles County, #472 1998.
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Meaning of the Scientific Name |
Batrachoseps: Greek - amphibian, frog lizard - describes lizard-like appearance.
kawia: derived from the name of the Native Americans who inhabited the region of the type locality.
from Scientific and Common Names of the Reptiles and Amphibians of North America - Explained © Ellin Beltz
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Alternate Names |
Formerly recognized as Batrachoseps pacificus - Pacific Slender Salamander, which has been split into several species.
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Similar Neighboring Salamanders |
B. gregarius
B. regius
B. relictus
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More Information and References |
Natureserve Explorer
California Dept. of Fish and Game
AmphibiaWeb
Stebbins, Robert C. A Field Guide to Western Reptiles and Amphibians. 3rd Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2003.
Behler, John L., & F. Wayne King. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Reptiles and Amphibians. Alfred A. Knopf, 1992.
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The following status listings come from the Special Animals List which is published several times each year by the California Department of Fish and Game.
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Organization
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Status Listing
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| U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) |
None |
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| California Endangered Species Act (CESA) |
None |
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| California Department of Fish and Game |
None |
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| Bureau of Land Management |
None |
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| USDA Forest Service |
None |
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| Natureserve Global Conservation Status Ranks |
G1 |
Critically Imperiled |
World Conservation Union - IUCN Red List
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IUCN:DD |
Data Deficient |
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