Channel Islands slender salamander facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Channel Islands slender salamander |
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The Channel Islands slender salamander (Batrachoseps pacificus) is a special type of salamander. It belongs to a family called Plethodontidae, which means they breathe through their skin! This salamander lives on cool, foggy islands. Because of this weather, it's one of the few slender salamanders in California that stays active all year long.
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What Does It Look Like?
The Channel Islands slender salamander looks like other slender salamanders. It has short legs, a thin head, and a long, skinny body. Its tail is especially long. It also has four toes on each foot.
This salamander looks a bit stronger than other slender salamanders. This is because its legs are longer. Adult salamanders are about 4.2 to 7 centimeters (1.67 to 2.75 inches) long. This length is measured from their snout (nose) to their vent (where waste leaves the body).
Their back can be brown or pinkish. They have a clear stripe down their back made of light spots. Their throat and the underside of their tail are light in color. Their belly is whitish or gray with light and dark spots. You can also see 18 to 20 lines on their sides. These lines are called costal grooves. They show where the ribs are.
How Does It Behave?
When this salamander feels scared, it might curl up. It stays very still, hoping to blend in with its surroundings. This is a way to hide from animals that might want to eat it.
Another trick it uses is to quickly uncurl and bounce away. It can even break off its tail! This helps distract a predator. Don't worry, the tail can grow back over time.
How Do They Reproduce?
Female salamanders lay their eggs underground. They use burrows made by other animals. They might also use cracks made by humans. This happens in late fall to winter. Each female can lay between 13 and 20 eggs.
The young salamanders hatch from winter to early spring. Both the adult and young salamanders come back to the surface. This usually happens with the rain in the next fall and winter. The timing of this cycle can change a lot depending on the weather.
What Do They Eat?
The Channel Islands slender salamander probably eats many small creatures. These include earthworms, small slugs, and other tiny bugs. They also eat different kinds of insects and their larvae (young forms).
It is thought that they use a special tongue to catch their food. This tongue can shoot out quickly. They use it to grab prey both above and below the ground.
Where Do They Live?
The Batrachoseps pacificus salamander lives only on the northern California Channel Islands. You can find it on San Miguel Island, Santa Rosa Island, Santa Cruz Island, and Anacapa Island. It is the only amphibian (like a frog or salamander) that lives only on these islands off California.
On these islands, the Channel Islands slender salamander lives in many different places. These include:
- Coastal sage scrub areas (a type of plant community)
- Grasslands
- Chaparral (dense shrubs)
- Oak woodlands (forests with oak trees)
- Pine woodlands (forests with pine trees)
- Even beaches that have driftwood
