Ensatina
HumboldtHerps.com
Specific and sub-specific information regarding the ensatina was cross-referenced using:
1. Pages 319-320 and Plates 104 and 105, The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American
Reptiles and Amphibians. c. 1979.
2. Pages 168,174-177, 469, and Plate 7, Western Reptiles and Amphibians (3rd ed.). c. 2003.
Web9. http://www.amphibian.co.uk/ [Monterrey Salamander (Ensatina) Care Sheet]
1. Pages 319-320 and Plates 104 and 105, The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American
Reptiles and Amphibians. c. 1979.
2. Pages 168,174-177, 469, and Plate 7, Western Reptiles and Amphibians (3rd ed.). c. 2003.
Web9. http://www.amphibian.co.uk/ [Monterrey Salamander (Ensatina) Care Sheet]
Complete
PLETHODONTS: Family - Plethodontidae
Genus - Ensatina
...Almost as cute
as a puppy!
Ensatinas could be
classified as the most adorable
salamander in the world! These little
guys are cute! Unfortunately, and
unlike a puppy, they are not very cuddly.
as a puppy!
Ensatinas could be
classified as the most adorable
salamander in the world! These little
guys are cute! Unfortunately, and
unlike a puppy, they are not very cuddly.
Ensatinas (Ensatina eschscholtzii) are plethodonts, and like all species within this
group they have a variety of unique features. All plethodonts, true to their namesake,
have many teeth. More impressively, they are lungless, breathing entirely through their
skin which is moist and slippery. Belonging to the largest family of salamanders in
the world also requires nasolabial grooves; these are a pair of hairline slits that run
one from each nostril down to the edge of each upper lip. These grooves are used to
transport chemical information from the ground up to the nostrils; they are conveyors
that allow the salamander to sense its environment and communicate with others of
its kind. Also, the labials are usually larger in males and are used with an overbite of
upper teeth to instigate mating behavior in females.
In differentiating the Ensatina (especially males) from others within the family one will
notice that the nasolabial grooves are very obvious, as are the labial lobes or palps
down which they descend. These frontal facial features may seem exaggerated when
compared to other plethodonts, and are unique to the genus. Large eyes combined
with droopy "puppy" cheeks go far on the cuteness scale!
The relatively small size of these amphibians adds to their endearing character.
Ensatinas reach an adult size of just over 3 inches.
One of the easiest traits used to identify ensatinas is that of the kink in their tails. All
members of the genus have a swollen tail that is constricted at its base, although the
males' tails may be thinner and longer.
Ensatinas have 12 - 13 costal grooves. Forefeet are four-toed; hind feet are five-toed.
Most plethodonts are completely terrestrial, and while a few species will occasionally
spend time slightly immersed in water, all lay eggs on land and undergo no larval
stage. Ensatinas are found only on land. Here in the coastal forests of Northwestern
California Ensatinas are one of the most commonly found salamanders, second
perhaps to Batrachoseps.
Ensatina (Ensatina eschscholtzii) is the only species within the genus. It is, however
divided into 7 subspecies ranging from SW British Columbia south to Northern Baja
California. Subspecies intergrade readily. Here in our area of study we find:
the Oregon Ensatina (E. e. oregonensis) and the Painted Ensatina (E. e. picta).
Sub-species within the genus display a variety of colors and patterns. Of the two found
in our area, the Painted Ensatina is by far the most striking. E. e. picta often dazzles
with its mottling of black, yellows, and oranges. The Oregon Ensatina is more uniform,
usually completely brown above with yellow or orange highlights where the legs meet
the torso (These highlights - whether orange, yellow, or cream - are common amongst
all the subspecies). The belly is pale, often with fine black specks.
The Oregon Ensatina ranges from Coastal Southwestern British Columbia south
through Washington and Oregon west of the Cascades. Its sub-specific range
actually ends short of SW Oregon, however its intergrade zone extends well into much
of the northwestern and north central reaches of California. The Oregon crosses with
the Painted Ensatina in the coastal forests of Southwestern Oregon and totally
encompasses its subspecific borders in Northwestern California; Oregon traits
(similar in appearance to that of the Monterrey Ensatina - E. e. eschscholtzii) continue
further south. Features of the Yellow-Eyed Ensatina (E. e. xanthoptica) do not show up
until the intergrade zone meets the Bay Area. Further east the Oregon Ensatina
intergrades with the Sierra Nevada Ensatina (E. e. platensis); this occurs in the Shasta
County area (specimens often resemble an Oregon Ensatina with the orange flecking
of the Sierra Nevada).
The Painted Ensatina has a smaller range that begins at the intergrade zone of the
Oregon subspecies in SW Oregon and moves south along the coastal forests through
Del Norte County and half way through Humboldt County. It is completely surrounded
by an "Oregon Ensatina" intergrade zone.
It should be noted that the intergrade zones in Northern California are actually larger
than some of the actual subspecies ranges. Between the sub-specific ranges of the
Oregon, the Painted, the Sierra Nevada, and the Yellow-Eyed Ensatina we should
consider the following counties: Siskiyou, Trinity, Shasta, W. Tehama, Mendocino, W.
Glenn, NW Colusa, Lake, Sonoma , Napa, and Marin. There is still some debate over
which sub-species should be ascribed to particular intergrade specimens. Do we
simply just call these specimens "ensatinas" (with no designation)? Are they just part
of a melting pot, or is there an actual default mechanism that resorts to a common
appearance (say that of the Oregon or Monterrey subspecies)?
Under the Bark
Habitat favored by the Ensatina includes both evergreen and deciduous forests,
especially in the Northwest. Our coastal redwoods are a hot spot! Since ensatinas
require a moist environment they are commonly found hiding during the day under
slabs of bark, rotting wood, and rocks. In hotter terrains, which include oak woodland,
chaparral, grassland, and shaded canyons, ensatinas may retreat into deep animal
burrows or hide inside rotting logs to aestivate during the summer. These retreats are
similarly used to escape extreme cold weather conditions during hibernation.
These amphibians favor temperatures between 48 and 64 degrees Farenheit.
Preferred hibernation temperatures are around 40 degrees. The need to seek shelter
and aestivate occurs when the temperatures reach higher than 70 degrees.
Weather conditions, humidity, and temperature play an important role in the breeding
cycles of ensatinas (as well as most salamanders). Breeding usually occurs from
spring to early summer or in late fall. Breeding males use their overbite to scratch the
skin surface of a potential female mate. Secretions from the male enter the female's
bloodstream and supposedly get her in the mood! Between 7 - 25 eggs are layed
underground or under bark or in rotting wood, and the brood is guarded and
moistened by the mother (and sometimes the father) during the summer retreat. This
kind of parental care of eggs is rare among most salamander species. Young hatch
in fall or early winter. After hatching, the babies are on their own, and they need to
disperse before the parent begins to find them delicious! Hatchlings at 3/4 of an inch
are large headed and longer-legged replicas of the adults. Sexual maturity is reached
between 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 years of age. Longevity is averaged between 10 and 15 years of
age.
Into the Puppy's Tummy
Aside from the occasional act of cannibalism, ensatinas feed primarily on
invertebrates. Insects, spiders, centipedes, and earthworms are on the top of the list.
One might also suspect that baby slender salamanders are on the menu as well!
Don't Eat the Puppy!
In regards to ensatinas as food, it is likely these salamanders fall victim to a variety of
predators. They do however have multiple defenses. The first is a sway-backed and
stiff-legged stance with the tail arched high. This posture may be used to intimidate,
but it is likely that it actually serves as a reminder of the following: Although they do not
possess the dangerous toxins commonly found in newts and toads, ensatinas are
known for excreting milky alkaline toxins from glands in their tails; this substance is
apparently quite unpalatable. Ensatinas are also capable of caudal autonomy; at the
slightest touch an ensatina can choose to release ownership of its tail and flee an
impending crisis while twitching muscles in the amputated tail distract the predator.
Tails will regenerate slowly, but will tend to be rather stubby - never like before. When
defensive behaviors and mechanisms don't work, ensatinas may find themselves in
the mouths of predatory birds, foraging mammals, larger amphibians such as the
Pacific Giant Salamander or Bullfrog, and a variety of snakes (especially those
resistant to amphibian toxins). Woodland scorpions may be suspect as well where
juveniles are concerned.
Remember to Wash Your Hands!
We should all avoid handling ensatinas because of their permeable skin. Human
sweat is more dangerous on an ensatina's skin than its tail toxin is to ours! If you do
decide to handle one of these cuties please wash your hands before and afterwards.
group they have a variety of unique features. All plethodonts, true to their namesake,
have many teeth. More impressively, they are lungless, breathing entirely through their
skin which is moist and slippery. Belonging to the largest family of salamanders in
the world also requires nasolabial grooves; these are a pair of hairline slits that run
one from each nostril down to the edge of each upper lip. These grooves are used to
transport chemical information from the ground up to the nostrils; they are conveyors
that allow the salamander to sense its environment and communicate with others of
its kind. Also, the labials are usually larger in males and are used with an overbite of
upper teeth to instigate mating behavior in females.
In differentiating the Ensatina (especially males) from others within the family one will
notice that the nasolabial grooves are very obvious, as are the labial lobes or palps
down which they descend. These frontal facial features may seem exaggerated when
compared to other plethodonts, and are unique to the genus. Large eyes combined
with droopy "puppy" cheeks go far on the cuteness scale!
The relatively small size of these amphibians adds to their endearing character.
Ensatinas reach an adult size of just over 3 inches.
One of the easiest traits used to identify ensatinas is that of the kink in their tails. All
members of the genus have a swollen tail that is constricted at its base, although the
males' tails may be thinner and longer.
Ensatinas have 12 - 13 costal grooves. Forefeet are four-toed; hind feet are five-toed.
Most plethodonts are completely terrestrial, and while a few species will occasionally
spend time slightly immersed in water, all lay eggs on land and undergo no larval
stage. Ensatinas are found only on land. Here in the coastal forests of Northwestern
California Ensatinas are one of the most commonly found salamanders, second
perhaps to Batrachoseps.
Ensatina (Ensatina eschscholtzii) is the only species within the genus. It is, however
divided into 7 subspecies ranging from SW British Columbia south to Northern Baja
California. Subspecies intergrade readily. Here in our area of study we find:
the Oregon Ensatina (E. e. oregonensis) and the Painted Ensatina (E. e. picta).
Sub-species within the genus display a variety of colors and patterns. Of the two found
in our area, the Painted Ensatina is by far the most striking. E. e. picta often dazzles
with its mottling of black, yellows, and oranges. The Oregon Ensatina is more uniform,
usually completely brown above with yellow or orange highlights where the legs meet
the torso (These highlights - whether orange, yellow, or cream - are common amongst
all the subspecies). The belly is pale, often with fine black specks.
The Oregon Ensatina ranges from Coastal Southwestern British Columbia south
through Washington and Oregon west of the Cascades. Its sub-specific range
actually ends short of SW Oregon, however its intergrade zone extends well into much
of the northwestern and north central reaches of California. The Oregon crosses with
the Painted Ensatina in the coastal forests of Southwestern Oregon and totally
encompasses its subspecific borders in Northwestern California; Oregon traits
(similar in appearance to that of the Monterrey Ensatina - E. e. eschscholtzii) continue
further south. Features of the Yellow-Eyed Ensatina (E. e. xanthoptica) do not show up
until the intergrade zone meets the Bay Area. Further east the Oregon Ensatina
intergrades with the Sierra Nevada Ensatina (E. e. platensis); this occurs in the Shasta
County area (specimens often resemble an Oregon Ensatina with the orange flecking
of the Sierra Nevada).
The Painted Ensatina has a smaller range that begins at the intergrade zone of the
Oregon subspecies in SW Oregon and moves south along the coastal forests through
Del Norte County and half way through Humboldt County. It is completely surrounded
by an "Oregon Ensatina" intergrade zone.
It should be noted that the intergrade zones in Northern California are actually larger
than some of the actual subspecies ranges. Between the sub-specific ranges of the
Oregon, the Painted, the Sierra Nevada, and the Yellow-Eyed Ensatina we should
consider the following counties: Siskiyou, Trinity, Shasta, W. Tehama, Mendocino, W.
Glenn, NW Colusa, Lake, Sonoma , Napa, and Marin. There is still some debate over
which sub-species should be ascribed to particular intergrade specimens. Do we
simply just call these specimens "ensatinas" (with no designation)? Are they just part
of a melting pot, or is there an actual default mechanism that resorts to a common
appearance (say that of the Oregon or Monterrey subspecies)?
Under the Bark
Habitat favored by the Ensatina includes both evergreen and deciduous forests,
especially in the Northwest. Our coastal redwoods are a hot spot! Since ensatinas
require a moist environment they are commonly found hiding during the day under
slabs of bark, rotting wood, and rocks. In hotter terrains, which include oak woodland,
chaparral, grassland, and shaded canyons, ensatinas may retreat into deep animal
burrows or hide inside rotting logs to aestivate during the summer. These retreats are
similarly used to escape extreme cold weather conditions during hibernation.
These amphibians favor temperatures between 48 and 64 degrees Farenheit.
Preferred hibernation temperatures are around 40 degrees. The need to seek shelter
and aestivate occurs when the temperatures reach higher than 70 degrees.
Weather conditions, humidity, and temperature play an important role in the breeding
cycles of ensatinas (as well as most salamanders). Breeding usually occurs from
spring to early summer or in late fall. Breeding males use their overbite to scratch the
skin surface of a potential female mate. Secretions from the male enter the female's
bloodstream and supposedly get her in the mood! Between 7 - 25 eggs are layed
underground or under bark or in rotting wood, and the brood is guarded and
moistened by the mother (and sometimes the father) during the summer retreat. This
kind of parental care of eggs is rare among most salamander species. Young hatch
in fall or early winter. After hatching, the babies are on their own, and they need to
disperse before the parent begins to find them delicious! Hatchlings at 3/4 of an inch
are large headed and longer-legged replicas of the adults. Sexual maturity is reached
between 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 years of age. Longevity is averaged between 10 and 15 years of
age.
Into the Puppy's Tummy
Aside from the occasional act of cannibalism, ensatinas feed primarily on
invertebrates. Insects, spiders, centipedes, and earthworms are on the top of the list.
One might also suspect that baby slender salamanders are on the menu as well!
Don't Eat the Puppy!
In regards to ensatinas as food, it is likely these salamanders fall victim to a variety of
predators. They do however have multiple defenses. The first is a sway-backed and
stiff-legged stance with the tail arched high. This posture may be used to intimidate,
but it is likely that it actually serves as a reminder of the following: Although they do not
possess the dangerous toxins commonly found in newts and toads, ensatinas are
known for excreting milky alkaline toxins from glands in their tails; this substance is
apparently quite unpalatable. Ensatinas are also capable of caudal autonomy; at the
slightest touch an ensatina can choose to release ownership of its tail and flee an
impending crisis while twitching muscles in the amputated tail distract the predator.
Tails will regenerate slowly, but will tend to be rather stubby - never like before. When
defensive behaviors and mechanisms don't work, ensatinas may find themselves in
the mouths of predatory birds, foraging mammals, larger amphibians such as the
Pacific Giant Salamander or Bullfrog, and a variety of snakes (especially those
resistant to amphibian toxins). Woodland scorpions may be suspect as well where
juveniles are concerned.
Remember to Wash Your Hands!
We should all avoid handling ensatinas because of their permeable skin. Human
sweat is more dangerous on an ensatina's skin than its tail toxin is to ours! If you do
decide to handle one of these cuties please wash your hands before and afterwards.
Oregon Ensatina (white-lipped
specimen)found east of Trinidad, CA
April 01, 2007
(above and left)
specimen)found east of Trinidad, CA
April 01, 2007
(above and left)
Painted Ensatina
found east of Trinidad, CA April 01,
2007
(right)
found east of Trinidad, CA April 01,
2007
(right)
| Painted Ensatina (E. e. picta) found east of Trinidad, CA April 01, 2007 |
| Oregon Ensatina (E. e.oregonensis) found near Stone Lagoon, Redwood National Park south of Orick, CA January 29, 2007 |
| Oregon Ensatina Sequoia Park - Eureka, CA October 25, 2005 |
| Oregon Ensatina (intergrade) Horse Linto Creek near Willow Creek, CA April 07, 2007 |
| Oregon Ensatina East of Trinidad, CA April 01, 2007 |
| Oregon Ensatina Stone Lagoon near Orick , CA January 29, 2007 |
| Oregon Ensatinas (with poss. Painted intergradation on left) Stone Lagoon near Orick , CA January 29, 2007 |
| Painted Ensatina East of Trinidad, CA April 01, 2007 |
In Captivity:
Ensatinas are extremely
difficult to maintain in captivity,
and although it is
permissable to keep them, we
do not recommend it.
In accordance with the Native
Reptile and Amphibian
Captive Propagation Laws
and Regulations of the
California Department of Fish
and Game, you are allowed
only up to 4 ensatinas
(regardless which
sub-species) at any one time
with a standard up to date
California fishing license.
Propagation is not permitted.
Being caught propagating
without permission will result
in fines as well as the
confiscation of the captive
collection and its destruction.
Both captively-bred and kept
wild-caught specimens
should never be returned to
the wild without special
permission and professional
supervision. Parasites and
diseases that may be found in
the wild are often transferred
to captive collections; likewise
stress-related illnesses
acquired in captivity may be
transferred to wild populations.
People interested in the
welfare of these salamanders
might like to spend time
endorsing forestry endeavors
tthat maintain ensatina
habitat. Loss of ground
moisture and tree droppings
(i.e.: bark) due to heavy
logging are crucial factors in
salamander habitat
destruction.
Ensatinas are extremely
difficult to maintain in captivity,
and although it is
permissable to keep them, we
do not recommend it.
In accordance with the Native
Reptile and Amphibian
Captive Propagation Laws
and Regulations of the
California Department of Fish
and Game, you are allowed
only up to 4 ensatinas
(regardless which
sub-species) at any one time
with a standard up to date
California fishing license.
Propagation is not permitted.
Being caught propagating
without permission will result
in fines as well as the
confiscation of the captive
collection and its destruction.
Both captively-bred and kept
wild-caught specimens
should never be returned to
the wild without special
permission and professional
supervision. Parasites and
diseases that may be found in
the wild are often transferred
to captive collections; likewise
stress-related illnesses
acquired in captivity may be
transferred to wild populations.
People interested in the
welfare of these salamanders
might like to spend time
endorsing forestry endeavors
tthat maintain ensatina
habitat. Loss of ground
moisture and tree droppings
(i.e.: bark) due to heavy
logging are crucial factors in
salamander habitat
destruction.
| DIFFICULT / HIGH MAINTENANCE |
| Oregon Ensatina Near Cutten (Eureka, CA) February 27, 2008 |
| Oregon Ensatina (Kneeland, CA) March 9, 2008 |
| For NEW PICS click SIGHTINGS link in left column futher down... |