California Reptiles & Amphibians

Batrachoseps luciae - Santa Lucia Mountains Slender Salamander

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Range in California: Red

Range Map of South Coast
Slender Salamanders

Dot-locality Range Map

Adult, Monterey County

Batrachoseps gavilanensis occurs very close to B. luciae and the ranges of both salamanders meet in one region. They are identical in appearance. At one time they were considered to be the same species, B. pacificus.

Habitat

Habitat, Monterey County

Coastal Redwood Forest Habitat,
Monterey County

Habitat, Monterey County

Description

Size

Adults are 1 1/4 - 1 4/5 inches long (3.2 - 4.6 cm) from snout to vent.

Appearance

A small slim salamander, with 18-19 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. There are four toes on the front and hind feet, which is typical of Slender Salamanders. (Other California salamanders have five toes on the hind feet.) The ground color is dark blackish-brown overlayed with a brass or reddish dorsal stripe that is less apparent in older animals. The venter is lighter, grayish brown. There is some whitish speckling and metallic iridophores.

Behavior

Breathes through thin moist skin instead of lungs. Found under rocks, logs, bark, and other debris. Active on rainy or wet nights when temperatures are moderate. Along the fog-cooled coastal side of the mountains, salamanders have been found under surface objects year-round. On the hotter and drier eastern slopes, they probably aestivate underground in the summer.

Typical of most Slender Salamanders, when disturbed, this salamander may coil up and remain still, relying on cryptic coloring to avoid detection. It might also uncoil quickly and spring away, repeatedly bouncing over the ground, or drop its tail to distract a predator. The tail is easily broken off, but it can be regenerated.

Feeding behavior is not known, but other Batrachoseps species are sit-and-wait predators that use a projectile tongue to catch prey.

Diet

Most likely eats small invertebrates.

Reproduction and Young

Reproduction is terrestrial. Females lay eggs in moist places on land, underground or under surface objects.
Captive females from two localities laid average egg clutches of 5.1 and 10.6 eggs. Eggs hatched in an average of 78 days. One probable communal nest has been found containing 19 eggs and several adult salamanders.
Young hatch fully formed.

Range

Endemic to California. Found along the western slope of the northern Santa Lucia Mountains in Monterey county from the Monterey Peninsula south to near the San Luis Obispo county line, and on the eastern slopes from Arroyo Seco south to at least the 36th parallel.

Habitat

Inhabits moist locations in redwood and mixed evergreen forests. Mostly found on north-facing slopes. Also found in open areas in parks in the city of Monterey.

Taxonomic Notes

Prior to its description in 2001, B. luciae was recognized as B. pacificus which has been split into ten species based on
molecular studies.

Conservation Issues (Conservation Status)

Listed as imperiled by NatureServe for no specific reason. There are no described significant conservation concerns regarding this species.

Taxonomy
Family	Plethodontidae	Lungless Salamanders
Genus	Batrachoseps	Slender Salamanders
Species	luciae	Santa Lucia Mountains Slender Salamander
Original Description
Elizabeth L. Jockusch, Kay P. Yanev, and David B. Wake ''Molecular phylogenetic analysis of slender salamanders, genus Batrachoseps (Amphibia: Plethodontidae), from central coastal California with descriptions of four new species.'' Herpetological Monographs, #15 2001.
Meaning of the Scientific Name
Batrachoseps: Greek - amphibian, frog lizard - describes lizard-like appearance. luciae: derived from the Santa Lucia Mountains, the center of the distribution of this species. from Scientific and Common Names of the Reptiles and Amphibians of North America - Explained © Ellin Beltz
Alternate Names
Santa Lucia Slender Salamander Formerly recognized as Batrachoseps pacificus - Pacific Slender Salamander, which has been split into several species.
Similar Neighboring Salamanders
Batrachoseps gavilanensis Batrachoseps incognitus Batrachoseps nigriventris Batrachoseps minor
More Information and References
Natureserve Explorer California Dept. of Fish and Game AmphibiaWeb Elizabeth L. Jockusch, Kay P. Yanev, and David B. Wake ''Molecular phylogenetic analysis of slender salamanders, genus Batrachoseps (Amphibia: Plethodontidae), from central coastal California with descriptions of four new species.'' Herpetological Monographs, #15 2001. 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. Bartlett, R. D. & Patricia P. Bartlett. Guide and Reference to the Amphibians of Western North America (North of Mexico) and Hawaii. University Press of Florida, 2009. Bishop, Sherman C. Handbook of Salamanders. Cornell University Press, 1943. Lannoo, Michael (Editor). Amphibian Declines: The Conservation Status of United States Species. University of California Press, June 2005. Petranka, James W. Salamanders of the United States and Canada. Smithsonian Institution, 1998.

Conservation Status
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.
Organization	Status Listing
U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA)	None
California Endangered Species Act (CESA)	None
California Department of Fish and Game	None
Bureau of Land Management	None
USDA Forest Service	None
Natureserve Global Conservation Status Ranks	G2G3 S2S3	Imperiled
World Conservation Union - IUCN Red List	IUCN: LC	Least Concern

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