Monterey Salamander Care Sheet – A slender, somewhat fragile-looking salamander with a smooth, shiny dorsum and flanks consisting of 11 to 13 distinct costal grooves. In healthy individuals the tail is well-developed and fleshy (longer than body in males, shorter in females) with a distinct constriction near the base (the point at which the tail can be amputated as a defensive mechanism). The head is rounded with huge, dark soulful-looking eyes. Colour patterns are so variable across some of the subspecies that they may soon, once again, be designated distinct species. All species possess a pale white or yellow belly.
- Range, Habitats & Habits
The Ensatina is distributed along the Pacific Coast of North America, from central California, Oregon and Washington to southern British Colombia. Extensive and relict populations exist in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Its favourite habitats are the cool, humid maple, redwood, oak, cedar and pine forests along coastal regions, in valleys and up to an elevation of 12,000 feet. It is regularly found on the verges of slow flowing streams and rivers and loves skulking about in damp leaves and grasses in search of invertebrates. Extremely secretive in disposition, it possesses several defensive mechanisms. joker123 deposit pulsa
The tail is easily amputated when grasped and as the severed muscles retract this causes the tail to wriggle, allowing the salamander an escape. This species is also known to secrete milky alkaline toxins from glands in the tail which are extremely distasteful and irritable to most predators. joker388 deposit pulsa
- Sub-Species Identification
Monterey Ensatina – (E.e.eschscholtzi): The nominate form and the most familiar. A brick-red or light brown, slender dorsum with lighter (sometimes orange) limbs. Range – coastal southern California from the Del Monte Forest in the Monterey peninsular to northwest Baja.
- Small or Yellow-blotched Ensatina – (E.e.croceator):
Black or dark brown dorsum patterned in small and irregular pale yellow or yellow-green blotches. A large blotch exist behind each eye.
Range – Rather limited, scattered distribution in the foothills of Kern County, California. I found this species in small numbers near Mount Pinos.
- Large-blotched Ensatina – (E.e.klauberi):
Very similar in appearance to E.e.croceator, however more stockily built with much larger blotches, the colours of which range from pale yellow to orange. One of the largest and most beautiful Ensatina forms.
Range – East of San Diego in the vicinity of alpine habitat. I found this species in an area close to Mount Palomar under large fallen pine trunks. It was extremely cold (sub-zero in some places) and snowfall was evident. Where its range overlaps with E.e.croceator or E.e.eschscholtzi, an integrade may occur.