California Reptiles & Amphibians

Batrachoseps robustus - Kern Plateau Slender Salamander



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Range in California: Red

Range Map of Southern Sierra
Nevada Slender Salamanders







Adult, 7,200 ft., Tulare County
 
Adult, 7,200 ft., Tulare County 
Adult, 7,200 ft., Tulare County
© Brad Alexander 
Adult, 7,200 ft., Tulare County 
Adult, Tulare County 
Adult, Tulare County 
Adult, Tulare County 
 
Adult, Tulare County
© Brad Alexander
Juvenile, 6,500 ft., Tulare County
 
Habitat, small stream, 6,500 ft., Tulare County © Tim Burkhardt
Same habitat with vegetation
destroyed by fire with salamanders still persisting along the stream.
Habitat, small creek in forest,
7,200 ft., Tulare County
Description
Size
Adults are 1 3/4 - 2 1/4 inches long (4.4 - 5.7 cm) from snout to vent.
Appearance
A medium-sized plethodontid salamander, which breathes through smooth moist thin skin. 16 - 17 costal grooves. 4 toes on both front and hind feet, which is also typical of Batrachoseps. (Other California salamanders have 5 toes on hind feet.) Relatively large and robust when compared with most Batrachoseps, having a fairly broad head, long legs, broad feet, short tail, and large toes. Color is rusty, bronze, gray, reddish, usually with a dorsal stripe and scattered flecks and spots. Gray to black venter. Throat with heavy white mottling. Animals from dryer habitats have lighter coloring of gray or silver, while those from coniferous forest tend to match the darker environment with reds and browns.
Behavior
Most Batrachoseps are active on rainy or wet nights when temperatures are moderate, retreating underground when the soil dries or when the air temperature drops to near freezing. B. robustus inhabiting higher elevations are active late spring through early fall, while the activity of lower elevation populations is restricted to late winter and spring. 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. Batrachoseps are generally sit-and-wait predators.
Diet
Most likely eats a variety of small invertebrates.
Reproduction
Batrachoseps typically lay eggs in moist places on land. Young hatch fully formed.
Range
Endemic to California. Occurs on the Kern Plateau of the southern Sierra Nevada Mountains from 5,300 - 9,200 ft. (1,600 - 2,800 m.)
Habitat
Found in moist habitats of pine and fir forests, and pinon pine, sagebrush, and oaks in drier habitats. Found under logs, bark, rocks, and other debris especially near springs, seeps and outflow streams.
Taxonomic Notes
B. robustus was officially described in 2002
Conservation Issues  (Conservation Status)
Listed as imperiled and near threatened. This is probably because its limited forested high-altitude habitat makes it vulnerable to any alteration of the habitat.
Taxonomy
Family Plethodontidae Lungless Salamanders
Genus Batrachoseps Slender Salamanders
Species


robustus Kern Plateau Slender Salamander
Original description
Wake, D.B., K.P. Yanev, and R.W. Hansen. - 1/13/2003. "New species of slender salamander, Genus Batrachoseps, from the southern Sierra Nevada of California." 2002 Copeia 4:1016-1028.

Meaning of the Scientific Name
Batrachoseps: Greek - amphibian, frog lizard - describes lizard-like appearance.
robustus: (probably Latin - (robust) referring to the large robust size.)

Alternate Names
None

Similar Neighboring Salamanders
Batrachoseps simatus
Batrachoseps relictus
Batrachoseps stebbinsi

Batrachoseps campi
Batrachoseps gregarious
Batrachoseps sp.
Fairview/Upper Kern Canyon
Breckenridge Mountain Batrachoseps

More Information and References
Natureserve Explorer

California Dept. of Fish and Game

AmphibiaWebSalamander Diversity in the Kern Valley Region

Resources List

Wake, D.B., K.P. Yanev, and R.W. Hansen. - 1/13/2003. "New species of slender salamander, Genus Batrachoseps, from the southern Sierra Nevada of California." 2002 Copeia 4:1016-1028.

Stebbins, Robert C. A Field Guide to Western Reptiles and Amphibians, 3rd Edition. Houghton Mifflin, 2003


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 USFS:S Sensitive
Natureserve Global Conservation Status Ranks G2 Imperiled
World Conservation Union - IUCN Red List




IUCN:NT Near Threatened
 

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