About Ensatina eschscholtzii Gray, 1850
This text covers two subspecies of Ensatina eschscholtzii Gray, 1850. The first subspecies is Ensatina eschscholtzii eschscholtzii, commonly called the Monterey ensatina. It occurs in Santa Cruz County, Monterey County, and the California coastal mountains. Its total head-to-tail length ranges from 3 to 5 inches (7.6 to 12.7 cm). This subspecies can be identified mainly by its tail, which is narrower at the base; it is the only Ensatina eschscholtzii subspecies that has both this tail structure and five toes on the hind limbs. Males of this subspecies often have longer tails than females, and most individuals have lighter-colored limbs compared to the rest of their body. Adult females lay eggs underground, usually in clutches of three, and the eggs hatch directly into fully-formed salamanders, skipping the typical aquatic juvenile phase. The second subspecies is Ensatina eschscholtzii klauberi, commonly called the large-blotched ensatina. It is found along the mountain ranges of Southern California, and extends south into a small area of the Sierra Juarez in northern Baja California. E. e. klauberi is similar in size to E. e. eschscholtzii; it is a mid-sized salamander, with adults reaching a total length of 3 to 6 inches (7.6 to 15.2 cm). Females of this subspecies typically have shorter, wider bodies than males. This subspecies differs from E. e. eschscholtzii in its coloration: it is nearly black with orange blotches, has a matching orange tail, and has dark eyes. Most populations of E. e. klauberi are generally found at high elevations ranging from 520 to 2400 meters, in conifer forests and oak woodlands. However, new populations have been discovered along the coast at Volcán Riveroll, a volcanic area in Baja California. It is thought that these salamanders can survive in this unexpected location because of the high coastal moisture levels. It is unclear how these populations came to occupy this coastal region, but the hypothesis posits that the subspecies was once more broadly distributed, and became isolated in this area due to climate change during the late Pleistocene and Holocene. If this hypothesis is correct, E. e. klauberi has lived in this coastal region for thousands of years.
