CHUNKY SALAMANDER Pseudoeurycea cephalica – Cope 1865 Pseudoeurycea cephalica cephalica – Cope 1865

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HABITAT: Cloud Forest Habitat, 7,292′, Veracruz, Mexico Same locality during dry season, May 2003

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PERSONAL NOTES: In the unseasonably dry May of 2003, I found a single individual of Pseudoeurycea cephalica cephalica near Las Vigas, Veracruz. It was along the highway beneath a small [...]]]>
Juvenile, 8,000′, Veracruz, Mexico (2003)

CHUNKY SALAMANDER
Pseudoeurycea cephalica – Cope 1865
Pseudoeurycea cephalica cephalica – Cope 1865

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Cloud Forest Habitat, 7,292′, Veracruz, Mexico

Same locality during dry season, May 2003

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In the unseasonably dry May of 2003, I found a single individual of Pseudoeurycea cephalica cephalica near Las Vigas, Veracruz. It was along the highway beneath a small piece of bark laying on the grass (obviously a temporary shelter found in passing). There was no coincidence that this salamander was found within a very narrow zone of pine forest that was shrouded in dense clouds – the regions just uphill and downhill from this locality were “bone” dry and very hot. It was a juvenile and despite searching the adjacent habitat no additional salamanders were found.

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TAMAULIPAS CAVE SALAMANDER Pseudoeurycea scandens – Walker 1955

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HABITAT: Cloud Forest Habitat around cave microhabitat, 4,700′, Tamaulipas, Mexico (Photo taken in dry season) Cloud Forest, 4,800′, Tamaulipas, Mexico Cave Microhabitat, Tamaulipas, Mexico

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DISTRIBUTION: In Baja California, this species has only been recorded as far south as La Mision (near Ensenada). It probably occurs farther south in the foothills of the Sierra Juarez and possibly even into the foothills of the Sierra San Pedro Martír. In either mountain range [...]]]> MONTERREY ENSATINA
Ensatina eschscholtzii – Gray 1850
Ensatina eschscholtzii eschscholtzii – Gray 1850

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In Baja California, this species has only been recorded as far south as La Mision (near Ensenada). It probably occurs farther south in the foothills of the Sierra Juarez and possibly even into the foothills of the Sierra San Pedro Martír. In either mountain range it’s upper elevational distribution may closely approach that of the closely related E. klauberi.

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Chaparral/Oak Habitat, 2,500′, San Diego County, California

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I have never seen this salamander in Mexico. In San Diego County, California I found several individuals on rainy nights while crossing roads through Chaparral and Oak Woodland habitats.

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LARGE-BLOTCHED ENSATINA Ensatina klauberi – Dunn 1929

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DISTRIBUTION: In Mexico, Ensatina klauberi is found at high (and possibly mid elevations) in the Sierra San Pedro Martír and Sierra Juarez of northern Baja California.

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PERSONAL NOTES: I have no experience with E. klauberi in Mexico. In San [...]]]>
Orange-Phase Adult, 4,500′, San Diego Co., California

Albino Adult, 4,500′, San Diego Co., California

LARGE-BLOTCHED ENSATINA
Ensatina klauberi – Dunn 1929

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In Mexico, Ensatina klauberi is found at high (and possibly mid elevations) in the Sierra San Pedro Martír and Sierra Juarez of northern Baja California.

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I have no experience with E. klauberi in Mexico. In San Diego County, California I have seen several individuals at night during periods of rain – both on the road and amongst leaf-litter on the forest floor. On Mount Palomar I found six Large-blotched Ensatina active on the forest floor during a light and unexpected snowfall.

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DISTRIBUTION: Ambystoma rosaceum nigrum is found in the high mountains of the Sierra Madre Occidental from central Durango southward to at least eastern Nayarit and adjacent Jalisco and Zacatecas. It may be found as high as 3,100m elevation.

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TAXONOMY: Some authors recognize nigrum as a [...]]]> DURANGO TARAHUMARA SALAMANDER
Ambystoma rosaceum – Taylor 1941
Ambystoma rosaceum nigrum – Shannon 1951

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Ambystoma rosaceum nigrum is found in the high mountains of the Sierra Madre Occidental from central Durango southward to at least eastern Nayarit and adjacent Jalisco and Zacatecas. It may be found as high as 3,100m elevation.

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Some authors recognize nigrum as a species distinct from, but obviously allied to A. rosaceum. Tanner reported larvae from Chihuahua, Mexico that displayed color characteristics of nigrum, but were found alongside typical rosaceum. More material from northern Durango and southern Chihuahua are needed to determine whether or not these salamanders deserve specific recognition or if they merely represent a clinal variation of a single species, A. rosaceum.

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I have seen this subspecies on two occasions at a single locality in Durango, Mexico in the year 2003. Hundreds of solid black larvae were observed in a small stream where it crosses Hwy 40 on the edge of a plateau-like section of the Sierra Madre Occidental. In one small, sluggish, spring-fed feeder creek I found several large nigrum egg masses attached to submerged logs and pine branches. We searched the undercut stream banks but found no transformed salamanders.

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The IUCN Red List Status for this species is currently “Least Concern” because of its wide distribution as well as its large and seemingly stable population size.

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