California
Reptiles & Amphibians
Currently Undescribed California Reptiles and Amphibians
and
Species of Possible Occurance
Currently Undescribed Reptiles and Amphibians Occuring in California The following are species that are found on some lists of reptiles and amphibians naturally occuring in California, but they have not yet been officially described and added to the SSAR species lists. Some of these are probably not distinct or are no longer recognized and they will probably never be described. We have pictures and information regarding some of these, and some are tentatively included on our lists. Follow the links for more pictures and information. |
|
Salamanders |
|
| Batrachoseps sp. - Breckenridge Mountain Slender Salamander |
Known only from a single locality on Breckenridge Mountain, Kern County. First found in 1977, although not recognized as a unique taxon until later. This salamander is currrently undescribed, but it is being described by David B. Wake and Robert W. Hansen, as a distinctive taxon. |
| Batrachoseps sp. - Fairview Slender Salamander |
Slender Salamanders from upper Kern River Canyon are somewhat different from those in lower Kern River Canyon. In most texts and lists they are included with Batrachoseps simatus, the Kern Canyon Slender Salamander. These salamanders may consist of several species. More. |
| Dicamptodon ensatus - California Giant Salamander sp. |
According to a March 20th 2006 article in the Santa Cruz Sentinal, UC Santa Cruz biologist Barry Sinervo is studying a type of giant salamander that lives in a network of caves in Santa Cruz County. The salamanders, which are strictly aquatic and apparently blind, may prove to be a new species, or they may be a form of D. ensatus. |
| Hydromantes sp. - Owens Valley web-toed salamander (AKA Oak Creek salamander) |
Hydromantes salamanders from the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains are currently grouped with Hydromantes platycephalus, although they differ in color and habitat. It has been suggested that these salamanders constitute a distinct species, which has been tentatively named the Owens Valley Web-toed Salamander. |
Snakes |
|
| Contia sp. - (Long-tailed) Sharp-tailed Snake |
The snake traditionally known as Contia tenuis might consist of two species which are almost identical in appearance. The new species is a long-tailed form recently discovered by Richard Hoyer with DNA evidence presented by Feldman and Spicer in 2002. (Journal of Herpetology 36(4): 648-655).This second species has not yet been formally recognized pending further research. The ranges of these species overlap along the northern California coast. The long-tailed species appears to prefer cool, humid, coniferous forests along the north coast. You can read more about this new species here, and here. |
| Thamnophis hammondii ssp. - Santa Catalina Garter Snake |
The Two-striped Gartersnakes occuring on Santa Catalina Island have been classified as a separate subspecies by some researchers, but recognition of this subspecies is very uncommon. |
| Thamnophis sirtalis ssp. - South Coast garter snake |
The Southern California populations of T. sirtalis, might be recognized as a distinct taxon, the South Coast Gartersnake, pending an official published description. CA Dept. of Fish and Game More information can be found on our T. s. infernalis page. |
Reptiles and Amphibian Species of Possible Occurance in California The following reptiles and amphibians are not on our lists. There is no documentation yet, but it is likely that the following species could occur within the state boundaries of California either naturally, or through introduction. Many escaped non-native reptiles and amphibians have been found in the wild in California, but they will not all be listed here as we are only concerned with those non-natives which have been reported as having sustainable reproducing populations. |
|
Snakes |
|
| Chilomeniscus stramineus - Variable Sandsnake |
The strong possibility of this snake turning up in suitable habitat west of the Colorado River where it occurs in Arizona and Baja California, and undocumented reports of the snake in California, such as personal communications with an amateur herpetologist experienced with the species who claims to have found it near the Algodones Dunes, have led me to include the snake as possibly occuring in Calfiornia. |
| Ramphotyphlops braminus - Brahminy Blind Snake (aka Island Blind Snake, Hawaiian Blind Snake, Flowerpot Snake.) |
This tiny fossorial Asian snake looks like a large worm. It has been introduced throughout the world in shipments of exotic potted plants. The snake burrows into the soil and is not detected when the plants are shipped. This blind snake is parthenogenetic - all individuals are female and capable of bearing young, which allows for the spread of this species from just one individual. There have been reports that this snake has been found in southern California, which seems very likely. I have seen pictures of them on fieldherping forums, however I have not seen any records of established breeding populations. |
| Nerodia rhombifer - Diamond-backed Watersnake |
This snake, native to the Southeast, was introduced to Lafayette Reservoir in Contra Costa County, bringing complaints from fisherman and other visitors who believed the non-native snakes were eating the reservoir's fish, frogs and turtles (which mostly consist of non-native stocked fish, non-native American Bullfrogs, and non-native Red-eared Sliders.) Some time in 1999, the snakes disappeared. According to the Contra Costa Times, experts are puzzled as to what caused the extinction. An especially wet and cold El Nino weather system has been suggested as the cause. |
Lizards |
|
| Callisaurus draconoides myurus - Northern Zebra-tailed Lizard |
This subspecies of Callisaurus draconoides (which is not recognized by everyone) occurs in Nevada not far from the California border north of Honey Lake, where it might occur in washes along the border near Smoke Creek. |
Turtles |
|
| Geochelone pardalis - Leopard Tortoise |
A population of breeding Leopard Tortoises has been reported at Mission Trails Park in San Diego County. These tortoises, originally from Africa, are common pets. |
Home | Lists | Maps | Photo Indexes | Sounds | Identification | More Info | Beyond CA | About Us | Usage | Taxonomy | New Stuff | Thanks | Disclaimers | Contact
Return to the Top © 2000 - 2008