AmphibiaWeb - Batrachoseps incognitus
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(Translations may not be accurate.)

Batrachoseps incognitus Jockusch, Yanev & Wake, 2001
San Simeon Slender Salamander
Subgenus: Batrachoseps
family: Plethodontidae
subfamily: Hemidactyliinae
genus: Batrachoseps

© 2009 Richard D. Bartlett (1 of 15)
Conservation Status (definitions)
IUCN Red List Status Account Data Deficient (DD)
NatureServe Use NatureServe Explorer to see status.
CITES No CITES Listing
National Status None
Regional Status None
Access Conservation Needs Assessment Report .

   

 

View distribution map in BerkeleyMapper.

Description
This is a small species; adult standard length averages 41.7 mm in 10 males (range 38.3-46.3) and 42.8 in 10 females (range 39.2-48.0); the head is relatively broad and there is a distinct neck region; in males, standard head length mean is 8.5 (range 8.3-8.6), and the mean for females is 9.0 (range 8.6-9.4); the eyes are slightly protuberant; the nostrils are small and there are only slight nasolabial protuberances in males; no mental hedonic glands are observed in males. Grooving patterns of the head, throat and neck are typical of the genus; vomerine (range12-24) and maxillary teeth (range 42-61 are numerous, the females generally having more; the females also usually have more premaxillary teeth (range 0-15) than males; there is no sexual dimorphism in either size or shape; trunk vertebrae range from 20-2; there are 18-19 costal grooves between the limbs of males and 19-20 in females; the tail is long and slender and sometimes shows evidence of having been regenerated. The tail is 1.0-1.5, the mean being 1.3, times standard length in males, and from 1.1-1.4, and the mean is 1.3 in females. There is no discernable basal tail constriction; the ostiliac gland is inconspicuous; the limbs are long, the mean in males being 8.0 (range 7 1/2-9) and the mean in females as 8.7 (range 8-9 1/2); the hands and feet are small with expanded tips that bear subterminal pads; the tibial spurs are well developed; the webbing between the digits is insignificant and the fingers and toes in order of decreasing length are 3-2-4-1.

Distribution and Habitat

Country distribution from AmphibiaWeb's database: United States

U.S. state distribution from AmphibiaWeb's database: California

 

View distribution map in BerkeleyMapper.
B. incognitus occurs in the Santa Lucia Range in extreme southwestern Monterey County and northern San Luis Obispo County. It occurs near sea level and at elevations to near 1000 m on Pine Mountain and Rocky Butte. It has been found at several places along San Simeon Creek Road. It is found in an open forest dominated by yellow pine, but near the coast it occurs in leaf litter under a canopy of laurel and sycamore. Its habitat ranges from closed canopy forest at higher elevations and near the coast to open oak woodlands.

Comments
This species is restricted in distribution to the coastal slopes of the Santa Lucia Mountains in the area known as the Hearst Ranch. The distribution is mainly at moderately high elevations in extreme northwestern San Luis Obispo County, California, but it has also been found at lower elevations near the coast where the montane ridge essentially runs into the ocean in extreme southwestern Monterey County. All of the known distribution is on private land, and there are now plans to develop the former Hearst Ranch. Extensive development of this property could imperil this newly recognized species.

See another account at californiaherps.com.

References

Jockusch, E.L., Yanev, K.P., and Wake, D.B. (2001). ''Molecular phylogenetic analysis of slender salamanders, genus Batrachoseps (Amphibia: Plethodontidae), from central coastal California with descriptions of four new species.'' Herpetological Monographs, 15, 54-99.



Originally submitted by: Ambika Sopory (first posted 2001-09-26)
Edited by: BP (added map) (2004-04-05)

Species Account Citation: AmphibiaWeb 2004 Batrachoseps incognitus: San Simeon Slender Salamander <https://amphibiaweb.org/species/5863> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed Mar 28, 2024.



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Citation: AmphibiaWeb. 2024. <https://amphibiaweb.org> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed 28 Mar 2024.

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