Subfamily Plethodontinae Scientific name Aneides lugubris Higher classification Climbing salamander Order Salamander | Family Plethodontidae Genus Aneides Phylum Chordata Rank Species | |
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Similar Salamander, Climbing salamander, California slender salamander, Slender salamander, Ensatina | ||
The arboreal salamander, Aneides lugubris, is a species of climbing salamander. An insectivore, it is native to California and Baja California, where it is primarily associated with oak and sycamore woodlands, and thick chaparral.
Contents
Aneides lugubris arboreal salamander using prehensile tail
Description
Aneides lugubris is 6.5–10 cm (2.6–3.9 in) SVL (snout-vent length), 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. A large adult can inflict a painful bite.
Subspecies
