Salamanders Flashcards
Taricha torosa
California newt/ Coast Range newt Salamandridae Range: Coastal from SF Bay to Southern California (disjunct) and Sierra's Lower eyelid without color Teeth in roof of mouth are Y shaped
Taricha granulosa
Rough-skinned Newt Salamandridae Range: SF Bay up along Coast to Northern CA and inland in N. CA Eyes do not extend past outline of head Lower eyelid dark colored Teeth in roof of mouth V shaped
Taricha rivularis
Red-bellied Newt Salamandridae Range: North Coast about Bay Area Dark eyes Tomato-red ventral color Broad dark band across vent
Taricha Sierrae
Sierra Newt
Salamandridae
Range: up to 2,000m in western drainages of Sierra, isolated populations in Shasta County
Used to be subspecies of T. torosa
Ambystoma gracile
Northwestern salamander Ambystomatidae Range: Northwest CA Brown almost black coloring- armor looking Large paratoid glands Grandular thickening along upper border of tail- developed ridges along tail (poison glands) No foot tubercles Paedomorphic
Ambystoma macrodactylum
Long-toed Salamander Ambystomatidae Range: Sierra Nevadas- North East CA Subspecies in Santa Cruz Black above with bright yellow dorsal stripes usually broken Foot tubercles
Ambystoma californiense
California Tiger Salamander
Ambystomatidae
Range: Highly fragmented, Santa Rosa county through Great Valley along coast and Central California
Flattened head with small protruding eyes
Black dorsal body with large yellow spots
Foot tubercles
Hybridizing with introduced A. tigrinum
Ambystoma tigrinum
Tiger Salamander Ambystomatidae Range: Widely distributed, fragmented populations all over California Rounder head than A. californiense Marbled coloring Small foot tubercles Introduced Paedomorphic
Dicamptodon ensatus
California Giant Salamander Dicamptodontidae Range: Coast on either side of Bay Area, absent in East Bay Heavy-bodied salamander, sturdy limbs, Tan coloring with dark brown marbling Stream larvae- reduced gills
Dicamptodon tenebrosus
Pacific Giant Salamander Dicamptodontidae Range: North West Coast Range Smaller head and limbs than D. ensatus Darker coloring Neotenic specimen
Rhyacotriton variegatus
Southern Torrent Salamander Rhyacotritonidae Range:Humid forests or North Coast Range Short- flat sided tail Square cut vent lobes in males Dorsal body mottled olive and dusky ventral sides greenish yellow with dark flecks Small Aquatic- stream, paddle like tails, greatly reduced gills in larvae
Aneides ferrus
Clouded Salamander
Plethodontidae
Range: Smallest NW tip of CA
Used to be subspecies of A. vagrans
Aneides flavipunctatus
Black Salamander Plethodontidae Range: North Coast Range to Sonoma Co., subspecies in Santa Cruz Short limbs and toes 14-16 costal grooves Black with pale spots
Aneides lugubris
Arboreal Salamander Plethodontidae Range: Entire Coast starting in Humboldt, disjunct population is lower Sierra's Stocky body, large jaw muscles Rounded tail, prehensile Toe tips blunt Gray-brown with small pale spots
Aneides vagrans
Wandering Salamander Plethodontidae Range: NW Coast, from Sonoma to top Slim, flattened body 16-17 costal grooves
Batrachoseps attenuatus
California Slender Salamander
Plethodontidae
Range: North Coast through Bay Area, Sierran foothills
Extremely small, reduced limbs
Tail almost twice as long as SV
Batrachoseps genus is a complex of 21 species found in Pacific Coast of N.America
Ensatina eschscholtzii
Ensatina
Plethodontidae
Range: Ring species around Central Valley
Tail constricted at base
E. e. xanthoptica (Bay Area subspecies) is a Taricha mimic, “yellow eyes”
Ensatina klauberi
Large-blotched Ensatina Plethodontidae Range: South California, inland Black with pale bands across body Two yellow spots on head
Hydromantes brunus
Limestone Salamander
Plethodontidae
Range: Limestone areas of Sierra Nevadas, Merced River
Dark brown dorsal color, pale gray ventral
Webbed toes
Hydromantes platycephalus
Mount Lyell Salamander
Plethodontidae
Range: Isolated pockets in Sierra Nevadas and Sierra buttes
Broad flat head
Webbed toes
Brown black dorsal with flecks of pale gold (rock like)
Whitish spots on sides and throat of ventral
Hydromantes shastae
Shasta Salamander Plethodontidae Range: Shasta Co Larger eyes Reddish dorsal white blotching on center ventral
Plethodon asupak
Scott Bar Salamander
Plethodontidae
Range: Small area of N Siskiyou Co
Used to be subspecies of P. stormi
Plethodon stormi
Siskiyou Mountains Salamander Plethodontidae Range: Creek drainages of Siskyou Co 17 costal folds Brown and heavily speckled
Plethodon dunni
Dunn's Salamander Plethodontidae Range: West of Cascade Mtns, NW tip of CA 14-17 costal grooves (usually 15) Yellow tan dorsal stripe Dark brown sides Upper limbs covered with dorsal stripe
Plethodon elongatus
Del Norte Salamander
Plethodontidae
Range: 3,000 ft elevation, NW tip of CA, humid forests
18 costal grooves
Slightly webbed toes
Dark brown dorsal, even edged dorsal stripe
