(DRAFT) - Taxonomy
Species SALAMANDER, LONG-TOED, SANTA CRUZ
Species Id ESIS201001
Date 14 MAR 96

TAXONOMY

NAME - SALAMANDER, LONG-TOED, SANTA CRUZ

OTHER COMMON NAMES - SALAMANDER, LONG-TOED, SANTA CRUZ; SALAMANDER, LONG-NOSED; SALAMANDER, LONG-NOSED and SANTA CRUZ

ELEMENT CODE -

CATEGORY - Amphibians

PHYLUM AND SUBPHYLUM - CHORDATA,

CLASS AND SUBCLASS - AMPHIBIA,

ORDER AND SUBORDER - CAUDATA,

FAMILY AND SUBFAMILY - AMBYSTOMATIDAE,

GENUS AND SUBGENUS - AMBYSTOMA,

SPECIES AND SSP - MACRODACTYLUM, CROCEUM

SCIENTIFIC NAME - AMBYSTOMA MACRODACTYLUM CROCEUM

AUTHORITY -

TAXONOMY REFERENCES -

COMMENTS ON TAXONOMY -
Santa Cruz Long-toed Salamander

Ambystoma macrodactylum croceum (Russell and Anderson, 1956)

KINGDOM: Animal GROUP: Amphibian

PHYLUM: Chordata CLASS: Amphibia
ORDER: Caudata FAMILY: Ambystomatidae

Ambystoma macrodactylum croceum is a small salamander with
relatively long toes. The dorsal color is black with irregular
mid-dorsal spots of metallic yellow-gold to orange. The ventral side
is sooty in color. The teeth form a continuous or broken row across
the roof of the mouth. Adults grow to about 127 mm (5 in) (07).
There was an error in the publication of the original description
which called this a long-"nosed" rather than a long-toed salamander
(01). The Association of Systematics Collections only lists this
salamander to the species level - Ambystoma macrodactylum.
The holotype is specimen No. 63734 at the Museum of Vertebrate
Zoology, University of California, Berkeley. Other descriptions and
pictures can be found in Stebbins (08) and Reed (06). Photographs are
kept by the California Department of Fish and Game (09).

Taxonomy - 1 (DRAFT) - Status
Species SALAMANDER, LONG-TOED, SANTA CRUZ
Species Id ESIS201001
Date 14 MAR 96

STATUS

Coded Status

E: Federal Endangered

COMMENTS ON STATUS -
U.S. STATUSES AND LAWS:
The Santa Cruz long-toed salamander (Ambystoma macrodactylum
croecum) has been designated as Endangered pursuant to the Endangered
Species Act of 1973 (50 CFR 17.11; P.L. 93-205, 87 Stat. 884; 16
U.S.C. 1531-1540), as amended. The subspecies has this status
wherever found including the State of California.
This subspecies is protected by the Lacey Act (P.L. 97-79, as
amended; 16 U.S.C. 3371 et seq.) which makes it unlawful to import,
export, transport, sell, receive, acquire, or purchase any wild animal
(alive or dead including parts, products, eggs, or offspring):
(1) in interstate or foreign commerce if taken, possessed,
transported or sold in violation of any State law or
regulation, or foreign law; or
(2) if taken or possessed in violation of any U.S. law,
treaty, or regulation or in violation of Indian tribal law.
It is also unlawful to possess any wild animal (alive or dead
including parts, products, eggs, and offspring) within the U.S.
territorial or special maritime jurisdiction (as defined in
18 U.S.C. 7) that is taken, possessed, transported, or sold in
violation of any State law or regulation, foreign law, or Indian
tribal law.

RESPONSIBLE FEDERAL AGENCIES:

USFWS -Responsible for the management/recovery, listing, and
law enforcement/protection of this species.

All Federal agencies have responsibility to ensure that any
action authorized, funded, or carried out by that agency is not likely
to jeopardize the continued existence of the species or result in the
destruction or adverse modification of Critical Habitat (50 CFR 402),
and to utilize their authorities to carry out programs for the
conservation of the species.

STATE STATUSES AND LAWS:

STATE: California
DESIGNATED STATUS: Endangered
ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCY: California Dept. of Fish and Game
STATE STATUTE: Calif. Endangered Species Act; Fish and Game Code
Chapt. 1.5, Art. 1, Sec. 2050.
Status - 1 (DRAFT) - Status
Species SALAMANDER, LONG-TOED, SANTA CRUZ
Species Id ESIS201001
Date 14 MAR 96

INTERNATIONAL STATUSES, TREATIES, AND AGREEMENTS:
The Santa Cruz long-toed salamander is listed in the Convention
on Nature Protection and Wildlife Preservation in the Western
Hemisphere (1970), and is listed as Endangered in the 1986 IUCN Red
List of Threatened Animals.

ECONOMIC STATUSES:
None.

67/03/11:32 FR 04001/ - Listed as endangered no Crit. Hab.
75/05/16:40 FR 21499/21500 - Notice of Intent; Crit. Hab.
78/06/22:43 FR 26759/26760 - Proposed Determination of Crit. Hab.
79/03/06:44 FR 12382/12384 - Withdrawal of Proposed Crit. Hab.
79/05/21:44 FR 29901/29909 - Five year Review
85/07/22:50 FR 29568/29577 - Notice of Review
87/07/07:52 FR 25522/25525 - Notice of 5-year review completion

Status - 2 HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS

HABITAT - AQUATIC
TERRESTRIAL
TERRESTRIAL
INLAND AQUATIC

LAND USE -
Residential
Transportation, communications, and Util
Shrub and Brush Rangeland
Mixed Rangeland
Forested Wetland

NATIONAL WETLAND INVENTORY CODES

NWI NWICLS NWIMOD NWISPEC

Palustrine SS1
Palustrine EM1

COMMENTS ON HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS -
During the terrestrial phase of its life, the Santa Cruz
long-toed salamander inhabits oak-chaparral woodlands with dense
understory. At Ellicott Slough, juveniles may also spend the summer
in the willow grove to the east of the pond (02,10). During the
larval stage and while breeding Santa Cruz long-toed salamander
utilizes temporary ponds. The temporary ponds are shallow with
persistent, emergent and submerged vegetation. The salamanders attach
their eggs to the vegetation. The vegetation also provides cover and
foraging areas for the larvae. Excessive emergent vegetation could
block the sunlight and interfere with larval development (03). The
presence of numerous homes on the western portion of the ridge at
Valencia Lagoon limits available habitat (14).
Juvenile salamanders may spend their first summer in the ground
under the dried pond and the phreatophytic vegetation and edge
detritus surrounding it. When the fall rains come they migrate to the
oak woodlands (03,06).
Fencing the Valencia Lagoon core area was completed in November
1978 to restore the breeding pond. Metal flashing was attached to the
base of the fence along the east side of the pond to reduce the number
of Santa Cruz long-toed salamanders leaving the core area to breed in
the drainage canal (03).
In the terrestrial habitat the salamanders live in burrows of
tunneling mammals and other ground dwelling animals (02,03,06), and in
the root system of plants (03). The preferred soil is a humid, sandy
loam type (03). It is not known how deep into the burrows the
salamanders go. Specific environmental parameters required by Santa
Cruz long-toed salamander have not been determined. Some parameter
ranges have been measured at Valencia Lagoon, but studies have not
been performed to determine critical max-min limits. The measured
parameters include water surface temperature 48-77 F; DO
6.0-11.0 mg/l; TDS 110-440 ppm, alkalinity 35-60 mg/lCaCO; and
pH 5.8-8.5 (06).
Locations in Monterey County are located adjacent or near roads.
Maintenance or improvement of these roads could impact the species.

Habitat Associations - 1 (DRAFT) - Food Habits
Species SALAMANDER, LONG-TOED, SANTA CRUZ
Species Id ESIS201001
Date 14 MAR 96

FOOD HABITS

TROPHIC LEVEL -
CARNIVORE

LIFESTAGE FOOD FOOD PART
General Arthropods
General Crustaceans
General Molluscs
General Worms
General Amphibia

Food Habits - 1 (DRAFT) - Environment Associations
Species SALAMANDER, LONG-TOED, SANTA CRUZ
Species Id ESIS201001
Date 14 MAR 96

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS

G = General A = Adult
LIM = Limiting RA = Resting Adult
J = Juvenile FA = Feeding Adult
RJ = Resting Juvenile BA = Breeding Adult
FJ = Feeding Juvenile P = Pupae
L = Larvae E = Egg
RL = Resting Larvae
FL = Feeding Larvae

LIFESTAGE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS
G
G Terrestrial Features: Burrows
G Human Association: Farm ponds
G
G Availability of fence rows: roadside ditches and grassy

Environment Associations - 1 (DRAFT) - Life History
Species SALAMANDER, LONG-TOED, SANTA CRUZ
Species Id ESIS201001
Date 14 MAR 96

LIFE HISTORY

FOOD HABITS:
The adult Santa Cruz long-toed salamander eat insects
(spring-tails, flies, mosquitos, crickets, grasshoppers, caterpillars,
beetles, centipedes, pill bugs, earthworms, snails and slugs). The
larvae eat insects (midges, water-boatmen, beetles, and insect
larvae), copepods, ostracods, snails, leeches, annelid worms, and
salamander and frog larvae (08).

HOME RANGE/TERRITORY:
Santa Cruz long-toed salamander does not appear to display any
territorial behavior. It is known to range from the breeding pond to
as far away as 1.3 km (0.8 mi) (06).

PERIODICITY:
Santa Cruz long-toed salamander are nocturnal (02,06,11,12).
During migration they are only active at night. The larvae appear to
be nocturnal. Anderson (13) found that they are negatively
phototatic, and Reed (06) caught more larvae at night than during the
day. Reed equated increased catch with an increase in activity.

MIGRATION PATTERNS:
Santa Cruz long-toed salamander annually migrate distances as far
as 1.3 km (0.8 miles) between the terrestrial habitat and winter
breeding grounds. The salamanders leave their terrestrial retreats
and migrate to the breeding pond at the on-set of the first rains in
late September and October. They travel only on misty, foggy, or
rainy nights. Their route follows hillside gullies (06). They arrive
at the breeding pond from November to February with the majority of
them arriving in January and February (03). The males arrive at the
ponds before the heavy egg laden females, and leave after them (06).
Once they finish breeding they return to their terrestrial habitat.
The salamanders enter and leave the breeding area at nearly the same
point (10).

COVER/SHELTER REQUIREMENTS:
Santa Cruz long-toed salamander require shallow ponds with
emergent and submerged vegetation for cover during the aquatic phase
of their life. In the terrestrial phase woodlands with a dense
understory and abundant burrows are required for continued survival
(03).

REPRODUCTIVE SITE REQUIREMENTS:
Santa Cruz long-toed salamander breed in shallow, temporary ponds
(02,03,06,11,12). Eggs are laid singlely 2-3 cm apart on emergent
vegetation (11,12). Spike rush (Eleocharis sp.) is preferred but
other plants will be used. Eggs have also been found free floating
(06,11,12). The water is usually 7.5-22 cm deep and the eggs are laid
within 5-8 cm of the surface (02).

REPRODUCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS:
Santa Cruz long-toed salamander breeds annually from December
Life History - 1 (DRAFT) - Life History
Species SALAMANDER, LONG-TOED, SANTA CRUZ
Species Id ESIS201001
Date 14 MAR 96

through February (06). The salamanders are sexually mature at about
3-4 years of age when they have reached a minimum snout-vent (SV)
length of 560 mm (2 in) (02). Females lay about 200 eggs which hatch
in 30-45 days. The larvae metamorphose when they attain a minimum
length of 32 mm (1 1/4 inches) SV, about 90-145 days after hatching
(06,12).
Breeding behavior is unlike that for most members of the
Ambystoma genus. The male encounters a female and then dorsally
mounts her clasping his fore limbs behind her fore limbs. Once the
female is restrained the male then rubs his chin over her head. After
doing this for a while the male will move in front of the female with
his tail over her head. He then raises his tail to almost a 90 degree
angle and walks in front of her for a distance. He will eventually
deposit a spermatophore in front of her. They both move forward until
her cloaca is directly over the spermatophore. She then elevates her
tail to 60 degrees above the horizontal and holds it so until she
picks up the sperm packet (12).

PARENTAL CARE:
None.

POPULATION BIOLOGY:
The main factors which limit Santa Cruz long-toed salamander
populations are the number of breeding localities and the weather
(03). If a breeding pond is destroyed or reduced in size as Valencia
Lagoon was, then the population can be drastically reduced or lost.
At Valencia, once the pond was replaced the population began to
increase. Weather also plays an important part in the continued
success of Santa Cruz long-toed salamander. If there is not enough
rain in a year to fill the breeding ponds then there will be no
recruitment that year. Santa Cruz long-toed salamander are long-lived
so if one year breeding does not occur the population will not be
severely affected, but if a drought persists the population will be
reduced. A population density of 2600 individuals should be
maintained (03).
There is a 1:1 sex ratio in the population but it is unlikely
that males breed only once since they stay at the breeding pond longer
than the female (06).

SPECIES INTERRELATIONSHIPS:
None.

OTHER LIFE HISTORY DESCRIPTORS:
None.

Life History - 2 (DRAFT) - Management Practices
Species SALAMANDER, LONG-TOED, SANTA CRUZ
Species Id ESIS201001
Date 14 MAR 96

MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

RESULT MANAGEMENT PRACTICE

Beneficial Controlling/Restricting Off-Road Vehicles
Beneficial Restricting/regulating human disturbance of populations
Beneficial Controlling/Restricting Road Maintainance Actions
Beneficial Maintaining undisturbed/undeveloped areas
Beneficial Land Acquisition
Beneficial Controlling/Restricting Pesticide Use
Beneficial Controlling/Restricting Agricultural Practice
Beneficial Controlling/Removing Nonnative Vegetation
Adverse Off Road Vehicles
Existing Off Road Vehicles
Adverse
Existing
Adverse Rural Residential/Industrial Areas
Existing Rural Residential/Industrial Areas
Adverse Highway/Railroads
Existing Highway/Railroads
Adverse Soil compaction by heavy equipment in mine areas
Existing Soil compaction by heavy equipment in mine areas
Adverse
Existing

COMMENTS ON MANAGEMENT PRACTICES -
The Santa Cruz long-toed salamander's distribution is limited
to six known localities. When Santa Cruz long-toed salamander was
listed as Endangered in 1969 only two populations were known. The
breeding pond at Valencia Lagoon was severely damaged by highway
construction in 1969, and the breeding pond at Ellicott was threatened
in 1971 with a proposed mobile home park. Although the county denied
the request to build a mobile home park, the property remained in
private ownership, and was being damaged by off-road vehicle activity
(03).
Principle factors affecting mortality of Santa Cruz long-toed
salamanders are weather, available habitat, natural enemies, disease
and longevity, and activities of man (03).
All the natural enemies of the Santa Cruz long-toed salamander
are not known. Garter snakes are known to eat salamander, especially
during the pond phase of the life cycle (03). Eggs and larvae may be
lost in large numbers due to various natural enemies including
predatious aquatic insects (03). Diseases and parasites are believed
to be responsible for losses during each phase of the life cycle,
especially during the egg and larval stage (03).
Weather also plays an important part in the continued success of
the Santa Cruz long-toed salamander. If there is not enough rain in a
year to fill the breeding ponds then there will be no recruitment that
year. The Santa Cruz long-toed salamander are long-lived so if one
year breeding does not occur the population will not be severely
affected, but if a drought persists the population will be reduced.
The presence of numerous homes on the western portion of the
Management Practices - 1 (DRAFT) - Management Practices
Species SALAMANDER, LONG-TOED, SANTA CRUZ
Species Id ESIS201001
Date 14 MAR 96

ridge at Valencia Lagoon limits available habitat. Fencing of the
Valencia Lagoon core area was completed in November 1978 to restore
the breeding pond. Metal flashing was attached to the base of the
fence along the east side of the pond to reduce the number of Santa
Cruz long-toed salamanders leaving the core area to breed in the
drainage canal (03).
In 1970, Caltrans built a small mitigation pond at Valencia and
by 1978 completed the breeding pond to its present dimensions. The
California Department of Fish and Game purchased the breeding ponds
and surrounding areas protecting these populations (03,06). Cattails
(Typha sp.) were planted in clumps on the artificial pond near
Valencia Lagoon and have spread rapidly, possibly to such an extent
that cattail control may be necessary (14).
Although little information is available on the other
subpopulations at this time, the population at the Bennett site appear
to be threatened by agricultural development, while those at Seascape
Pond are threatened by residential subdivisions (03).

APPROVED PLAN:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1977. Recovery Plan for the Santa
Cruz Long-toed Salamander. U.S. Fish and Wildl. Serv., Portland, OR.
50 pp.

The primary objective of the Santa Cruz Long-toed salamander is
to restore the species to reclassify to a threaten status and then to
a non-endangered status.

The recovery activities necessary to achieve the objective are:

1. Maintain the populations at present or higher levels, and
maintain habitat in optimum condition by:
A) protecting populations from mortality (which includes
monitoring population by census and migration studies,
enforcing laws and regulations, and preventing
mortalities from man-caused activities;
B) providing essential habitat (determining and acquiring
essential habitats) to protect from development and
agricultural practices;
C) implementing development/management plans (which
includes erosion control, ORV control, and fencing).

2. Determine critical habitat, and maintain populations at
other sites; and
3. Provide a public information and education program by
implementing a public awareness program and advising
public agencies and private industry about zoning and
incidental take restrictions;
4. Control or restriction of road maintenance activities;
5. Control or removal of non-native vegetation (i.e.
cattails); and
6. Controlled pesticide use.

Management Practices - 2 (DRAFT) - References
Species SALAMANDER, LONG-TOED, SANTA CRUZ
Species Id ESIS201001
Date 14 MAR 96

References

***** REFERENCES FOR ALL NARRATIVES EXCEPT N-OCCURRENCE *****

01 Russell, R.W. and J.D. Anderson. 1956. A disjunct population of
the long-nosed salamander from the coast of California. Herpetol.
12:137-140.
02 Anderson, J.D. 1967. A comparison of the life histories of
coastal and montane populations of Ambystoma macrodactylum in
California. Amer. Midl. Natur. 77(2):323-355.
03 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1977. Recovery Plan for the Santa
Cruz Long-toed Salamander. U.S. Fish and Wildl. Serv., Portland,
OR. 50 pp.
04 Talent, L.G. and C.L. Talent. 1980. A population of the
endangered Santa Cruz long-toed salamander, Ambystoma macrodactylum
croceum, from Monterey County, CA. CA Fish and Game
66(3):184-186.
05 Johnson, M.L. 1978. Santa Cruz long-toed salamander, report of
new location-Monterey County. Memo CA Dept. of Fish and Game.
06 Reed, R.J. 1978. Population study of the Santa Cruz long-toed
salamander at Valencia Lagoon 1977-78, with notes on habitat and
occurrence in Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties. CA Dept. of Fish
and Game, Contract No. S-1180.
07 California Department of Fish and Game. 1983. At the crossroads,
a report of the status of California's endangered and rare fish and
wildlife. Sacramento, CA. 147 pp.
08 Stebbins, R.C. 1985. A field guide to western reptiles and
amphibians. Boston: Houghton Miflen Co.
09 California Department of Fish and Game, Inland Fisheries Branch,
Endangered Species Project.
10 Marlow, R.W. 1973. The status of Ambystoma macrodactylum croceum
at Ellicott pond, Santa Cruz County, California: Annual report.
Sacramento, CA.
11 Anderson, J.D. 1960. A comparative study of coastal and montane
populations of Ambystoma macrodactylum. Univ. of CA, Berkeley.
12 Anderson, J.D. 1961. The courtship behavior of Ambystoma
macrodactylum croceum. Copeia 2:132-139.
13 Anderson, J.D. 1972. Phototactic behavior of larvae and adults of
two subspecies of Ambystoma macrodactylum. Herpetologica
28(3):222-226.
14 Ruth, S.B. and K. Tollestrup. 1973. Aspects of the life history
and current Status of the Santa Cruz long-toed salamander
(Ambystoma macrodactylum croceum) at Valencia Lagoon, Santa Cruz
County, CA. Mus. of Vert. Zool., Univ. of CA, Berkeley. 42 pp.

***** REFERENCES FOR N-OCCURRENCE NARRATIVE ONLY *****

California. Amer. Midl. Natur. 77(2):323-355.
03 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1977. Recovery Plan for the Santa
Cruz Long-toed Salamander. U.S. Fish and Wildl. Serv., Portland,
OR. 50 pp.
04 Talent, L.G. and C.L. Talent. 1980. A population of the
endangered Santa Cruz long-toed salamander, Ambystoma macrodactylum
croceum, from Monterey County, CA. CA Fish and Game
66(3):184-186.
05 Johnson, M.L. 1978. Santa Cruz long-toed salamander, report of
new location-Monterey County. Memo CA Dept. of Fish and Game,
Sacramento, CA.
06 Reed, R.J. 1978. Population study of the Santa Cruz long-toed
salamander at Valencia Lagoon 1977-78, with notes on habitat and
occurrence in Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties. CA Dept. of Fish
and Game, Contract No. S-1180.

References - 2