Description
Batrachoseps simatus is a slender salamander. Adults measure from 41-56 mm in snout-vent length (Stebbins 2003), and 90-130 mm in total length (Petranka 1998). In comparison to other species in the genus Batrachoseps, this species has a slightly flatter head and body, with relatively longer limbs and a narrower head (Petranka 1998). B. simatus has 20 to 21 costal grooves and seven to nine costal folds (Petranka 1998). The ground coloration is black, with faint bronze or reddish patches that may meld into a faint dorsal stripe (Petranka 1998). The ventrum has small light speckles (Stebbins 2003). In males, the premaxillary teeth are enlarged and protrude from the lip (Petranka 1998).

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.

The Kern Canyon Slender Salamander is distributed from the Kern River Drainage in south Sierra, CA to just south of the Johnsondale Bridge in Tulare, CO, and on Breckenridge Mountain, in Kern County, CA. (Stebbins 2003). It has been found at elevations ranging from 330 m to 1920 m (Stebbins 2003). B. simatus lives in isolated colonies near streams in shaded, narrow canyons and on ridges and hillsides, particularly those facing north (Petranka 1998). It can be found under logs, particularly after rains, as well as under rocks and talus (Petranka 1998).

Life History, Abundance, Activity, and Special Behaviors
There is one report from Breckenridge Mountain of a female laying eggs in mid-June (Stebbins, 2003)[3260].

Trends and Threats
This species has a restricted distribution.

References

Petranka, J. W. (1998). Salamanders of the United States and Canada. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D.C. and London.

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

Species Account Citation: AmphibiaWeb 2020 Batrachoseps simatus: Kern Canyon Slender Salamander <https://amphibiaweb.org/species/3946> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed Feb 5, 2025.

Citation: AmphibiaWeb. 2025. <https://amphibiaweb.org> University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. Accessed 5 Feb 2025.

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