Range in California: Red
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| Adult, Monterey County |
Adult, Monterey County |
Juvenile, coiling defensively,
Monterey County |
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Adult, Monterey County |
Adult, Monterey County |
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Adult, Monterey County |
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Adult, Monterey County |
Adult, Monterey County |
Adult, Monterey County |
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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.
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Habitat |
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Coastal Redwood Forest Habitat,
Monterey County
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Habitat,
Monterey County
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Coastal Redwood Forest Habitat,
Monterey County
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Habitat, Monterey County |
Coastal Redwood Forest Habitat,
Monterey County
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Habitat, Monterey County |
| Short Video |
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Several Santa Lucia Slender Mountains Slender Salamanders are uncovered in Monterey County. |
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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 |
A member of family Plethodontidae, the Plethodontid or Lungless Salamanders.
Lungless Salamanders breathe through their skin which requires them to live in damp environments on land and to move about on the ground only during times of high humidity. (In California, they do not inhabit streams or bodies of water, but they are capable of surviving for some time if they fall into water.)
Lungless salamanders are distinguished by their naso-labial grooves, which are vertical slits between the nostrils and upper lip that are lined with glands used in chemoreception. All California Lungless Salamanders lay eggs in moist places on land. The young hatch from the egg directly into a tiny terrestrial salamander with the same body form as an adult. (They do not hatch in the water and begin their lives as tiny swimming larvae breathing through gills, as occurs with other types of salamanders.)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. Typically found under rocks, logs, bark, and other debris.
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.
Here's a Diagram of the Batrachoseps Complex showing the relationships between species. |
| Conservation Issues (Conservation Status) |
| Listed as imperiled by NatureServe for no specific reason. There are no described significant conservation concerns regarding this species. |
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Taxonomy |
| Family |
Plethodontidae |
Lungless Salamanders |
| Genus |
Batrachoseps |
Slender Salamanders |
Species
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luciae |
Santa Lucia Mountains Slender Salamander |
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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.
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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
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Alternate Names |
Santa Lucia Slender Salamander
Formerly recognized as Batrachoseps pacificus - Pacific Slender Salamander, which has been split into several species.
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Similar Neighboring Salamanders |
Batrachoseps gavilanensis
Batrachoseps incognitus
Batrachoseps nigriventris
Batrachoseps minor
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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., and McGinnis, Samuel M. Field Guide to Amphibians and Reptiles of California: Revised Edition (California Natural History Guides) University of California Press, 2012.
Stebbins, Robert C. California Amphibians and Reptiles. The University of California Press, 1972.
Stebbins, Robert C. A Field Guide to Western Reptiles and Amphibians. 3rd Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2003.
Behler, John L., and F. Wayne King. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Reptiles and Amphibians. Alfred A. Knopf, 1992.
Powell, Robert., Joseph T. Collins, and Errol D. Hooper Jr. A Key to Amphibians and Reptiles of the Continental United States and Canada. The University Press of Kansas, 1998.
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.
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The following status listings come from the Special Animals List which is published by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
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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 Wildlife |
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 |
G2G3 S2S3 |
Imperiled |
World Conservation Union - IUCN Red List
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IUCN: LC |
Least Concern |
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