Arboreal Salamander

Description:

Juvenile Arboreal salamander found inside one of my flower pots (approximately 3 inches).

Habitat:

Urban house garden flower pot, Emeryville, CA.

Notes:

Aneides lugubris, the Arboreal salamander, is a species of climbing salamander. It is native to California and Baja California, where it is primarily associated with oak and sycamore woodlands, and thick chaparral. Aneides lugubris is 6.5-10 cm (2½-4 inches) 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. Wikipedia