The California Giant Salamander (Dicamptodon ensatus) is a species of salamander in the Dicamptodontidae family. Like all salamanders, the California Giant Salamander has four toes on the front feet and five toes on the back feet. The California Giant Salamander's tail is around 40 percent of the total length of the salamander and is laterally compressed. The head, back, and sides of the salamander have a marbled or reticulate pattern of dark blotches on a light brown or brassy-colored background.
Ten Facts about California Giant Salamander
- They can reach up 17-30.5 cm (6.7-12 inches) in total length.
- Its natural habitats are temperate forests, rivers, freshwater lakes, and freshwater marshes.
- The Pacific Giant Salamander is found along the West Coast of North America from northern California to southern British Columbia.
- Breeding occur from spring to autumn.
- The female deposits from 85 to 200 eggs.
- The female protects these eggs for up to seven months.
- They also do not reach sexual maturity until they are five or six years old.
- They bite, thrash the tail, try to look formidable, and use glands on the top of the tail to secrete foul tasting chemicals.
- Adults feed on land snails and slugs; insects such as beetles, caddisfly larvae, moths and flies.
- Predators includes, raccoons, snakes, frogs, fishes, lizards.
