Batrachoseps simatus

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AMPHIBIA	CAUDATA	PLETHODONTIDAE

Scientific Name:

Batrachoseps simatus

Species Authority:

Brame & Murray, 1968

Common Name/s:

English

–

Kern Canyon Slender Salamander

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Vulnerable D2 ver 3.1

Year Published:

2010

Assessor/s:

Geoffrey Hammerson

Reviewer/s:

Global Amphibian Assessment Coordinating Team (Simon Stuart, Janice Chanson, Neil Cox and Bruce Young)

Contributor/s:

Justification:
Listed as Vulnerable because it is known from fewer than five locations.

History:

2004	–	Vulnerable
1996	–	Vulnerable
1994	–	Rare (Groombridge 1994)
1990	–	Rare (IUCN 1990)
1988	–	Rare (IUCN Conservation Monitoring Centre 1988)
1986	–	Rare (IUCN Conservation Monitoring Centre 1986)

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species is known from a number of sites in the lower Kern River Canyon, Kern County, California, at the southern end of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in the USA. It occurs in isolated colonies, and probably occurs in many densely wooded canyons in the lower Kern River Canyon. They have been recorded from 450-1,220m asl. Populations in the vicinity of Fairview, Tulare County, have been allied with B. simatus, but probably represent a distinct species.
Countries:	Native: United States
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	Total adult population size is unknown, although individual population sizes are presumably quite small. It is locally abundant (Bury, Dodd and Fellers, 1980).
Population Trend:	Stable

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	It favours north-facing slopes and small wooded tributary canyons. It also inhabits oak-pine communities on slopes; willow and cottonwood communities along streams; chaparral; and may range into grassland adjacent to woods. It is often found in crevices in talus slopes or under rocks and logs. It is a terrestrial breeder.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	At present there do not appear to be any significant threats. Potential future threats include cattle grazing, highway construction, and the proposed development of water storage facilities within the Kern River Canyon.

Major Threat(s):

At present there do not appear to be any significant threats. Potential future threats include cattle grazing, highway construction, and the proposed development of water storage facilities within the Kern River Canyon.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Nearly all the known populations occur on public lands administered by the Sequoia National Forest. Kern Canyon slender salamanders are listed as Threatened by the State of California and are a Federal Species of Concern.

Conservation Actions:

Nearly all the known populations occur on public lands administered by the Sequoia National Forest. Kern Canyon slender salamanders are listed as Threatened by the State of California and are a Federal Species of Concern.

Citation:	Geoffrey Hammerson 2010. Batrachoseps simatus. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 20 June 2013.
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