Arboreal salamander
| Aneides lugubris | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Urodela |
| Family: | Plethodontidae |
| Subfamily: | Plethodontinae |
| Genus: | Aneides |
| Species: | A. lugubris
|
| Binomial name | |
| Aneides lugubris (Hallowell, 1849)
| |
| Synonyms | |
|
Salamandra lugubris Hallowell, 1849 "1848"[2] | |
The arboreal salamander, Aneides lugubris, is a species of climbing salamander.[3] An insectivore, it is native to California and Baja California,[4] where it is primarily associated with oak and sycamore woodlands,[5] and thick chaparral.
Description
Aneides lugubris is 6.5–10 cm (2.6–3.9 in) SVL (snout-vent length),[6] with plain purplish-brown coloring, usually spotted dorsally with gold or yellow, although it may also be unspotted. The tail is prehensile. The juvenile is dark overall, clouded with greyish color and fine yellow speckling on the back. It has rusty markings on the snout, tail, and on sides above the forelimbs. The male of this species can be distinguished by its broad triangular head, with the front teeth of the jaw extending beyond the bottom lip.
This species is an excellent climber and difficult to capture. It is nocturnal, spending daylight hours and dry periods in the cavities of oak trees, often with many other individuals of its species.[7] A large adult can inflict a painful bite.
Subspecies
- Farallon Island salamander – A. l. farallonensis (Van Denburgh, 1905)
- A. l. lugubris (Van Denburgh, 1905)
Gallery
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Adult -
Albino individual found in Lafayette, California
References
- ^ Template:IUCN
- ^ Hallowell, Edward. 1849. Description of a new species of Salamander from Upper California. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 4, p. 126.
- ^ Frost, Darrel R. (2015). "Aneides lugubris (Hallowell, 1849)". Amphibian Species of the World: an Online Reference. Version 6.0. American Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
- ^ "Arboreal Salamander - Aneides lugubris". www.californiaherps.com. Retrieved 2016-03-01.
- ^ "Arboreal Salamander - National Wildlife Federation". www.nwf.org. Retrieved 2016-03-01.
- ^ Lynch, J.F. and D.B. Wake. 1974. Catalogue of American Amphibians and Reptiles. Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles.
- ^ Grismer, L. L. (2002). Amphibians and Reptiles of Baja California. Los Angeles: University of California Press. 56-7.
External links
- Fisher, R. N. and T. J. Case. "A Field Guide to the Reptiles and Amphibians of Coastal Southern California." USGS.
- AmphibiaWeb - Aneides lugubris
- Caudata Culture Entry - Aneides lugubris
- California Herps Profile
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