Garden slender salamander

The Garden slender salamander (Batrachoseps major) or Southern California slender salamander is a species of salamander in the family Plethodontidae. It is endemic to northern Baja California in Mexico and Southern California in the United States.

Description

While Batrachoseps major is a small salamander, it is larger than most other Batrachoseps slender salamanders. Adults are 3.2–5.9 centimetres (1.3–2.3 in) in length and have 17-21 costal grooves. Like other Batrachoseps, B. major has only four toes on its hind feet.

Color is variable, but individuals are usually some form of gray. A key identification feature is the color of the underside, which is pale for B. major. This is the simplest method to distinguish B. major from the similar B. nigriventris where the two co-occur, although the latter is typically also much smaller and less robust.

Taxonomy

There are currently two described subspecies of Batrachoseps major:

Batrachoseps major major: Garden slender salamander or Southern California slender salamander

Batrachoseps major aridus: Desert slender salamander

Distribution and habitat

Batrachoseps major is endemic to a relatively small portion of southern California and northwestern Baja California within the California Floristic Province, ranging from the San Fernando Valley in the north south to Ensenada, with records as far south as El Rosario and the Sierra de San Pedro Mártir. It also occurs on Santa Catalina Island, the Coronado islands, and the Todos Santos islands, though it was probably introduced there.