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Endangered Species in Santa Cruz County - Amphibians
Santa Cruz Long-Toed Salamander
Scientific Name: Ambystoma macrodactylum croceum
Status: E, PCH
The Santa Cruz long-toed salamander is a relatively small (four to 12 inches), black salamander with yellow-orange blotches. It frequents coastal woodlands and chaparral near the ponds and freshwater marshes in which it breeds. This salamander spends a significant portion of its life underground in the burrows of small mammals such as mice, gophers, and moles.
The Santa Cruz long-toed salamander is currently known from three population clusters (metapopulations) in coastal areas of Monterey and Santa Cruz counties.
In Santa Cruz County, primary threats have been road construction and urbanization. In Monterey County, the main reasons for decline are extensive and intensive agricultural practices and urbanization.
To Learn More:
- California Department of Fish and Game
Species description, information about habitat and breeding - CalPhotos - University of California, Berkeley
Browsable photographs of the species - Santa Cruz Public Libraries - Local Resources
Searches SCPL's online catalog for local documents and other information on this species. - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Documents describing protection for this species under the Endangered Species Act. General information about the species as well as plans both to protect it and to help it recover. - Species Account
Excerpts from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service documents available at the Central Branch Library
Last updated by ann on April 23, 2008
Browse by Status Key
E — Endangered
T — Threatened
CH — Critical Habitat
PE — Taxa proposed for listing as endangered
PT — Taxa proposed for listing as threatened
PCH — Critical habitat which has been proposed
C — Candidate species for which the Fish and Wildlife Service has on file sufficient information on the biological vulnerability and threats to support proposals to list as endangered or threatened
