Description
Aneides hardii is a slim bodied salamander with a brownish dorsal and a ventral that ranges from gray to cream in color. Greenish gray to bronze mottling may also be observed from above, while the throat may be blotched with light patches of white. A yellow, broad dorsal stripe may also be present. 14 or 15 costal grooves are usually observed with an average of 2 to 4.5 grooves between adpressed limbs. This species may range in size from 1 3/4 inch to 2 1/2 inches in length.

Distribution and Habitat

Country distribution from AmphibiaWeb's database: United States

U.S. state distribution from AmphibiaWeb's database: New Mexico

View distribution map in BerkeleyMapper.

A. hardii's distribution includes the Sacramento Mountains, White Mountains and the Capitan Mountains from 7,800 to 11,700 ft. and is endemic to the state of New Mexico, USA.

Life History, Abundance, Activity, and Special Behaviors
The north and east facing slopes of this species' habitat are where A. hardii may be most readily found. It emerges in the period of late June to July, and is abundant during periods of summer rain. The inside of rotting logs, in old rockslides, underneath bark, boards and logs are ideal habitats for this salamander. Hollows and decaying logs are locations where brooding females may be observed.

Comments
This account was based on the description written in Stebbins (2003).

References

Stebbins, R. C. (2003). Western Reptiles and Amphibians, Third Edition. Houghton Mifflin, Boston.

Species Account Citation: AmphibiaWeb 2021 Aneides hardii: Sacramento Mountains Salamander <https://amphibiaweb.org/species/3937> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed Sep 19, 2021.

Citation: AmphibiaWeb. 2021. <https://amphibiaweb.org> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed 19 Sep 2021.

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