Ensatina is a lungless salamander of the family Plethodontidae. The Ensatina salamander has been described as a ring species in the mountains surrounding the Californian Central Valley. The complex forms a horseshoe shape around the mountains, and though interbreeding can happen between each of the 19 populations around the horseshoe, the Ensatina eschscholtzii subspecies on the western end of the horseshoe cannot interbreed with the Ensatina klauberi on the eastern end.
Ten Facts about Ensatina
- They reach a total length of three to five inches.
- They can found from British Columbia, through Washington, Oregon, across California, all the way down to Baja California in Mexico.
- This species can be found in the north: Douglas-fir/maple forests, forest clearings. In coastal areas, redwood forest, chaparral, oak woodland, canyons. Sierra Nevada: pine-oak-incense cedar forests.
- They eat small insects & spiders.
- Can be eaten by lizards, frogs & snakes.
- Can live maximum 8-10 years.
- Females lay from 3-25 eggs.
- They reach sexual maturity at between 3-5 years of age.
- Breeding usually occurs from November to March.
- After 4-5 months the eggs hatch and fully developed young emerge.
