#Hydromantes shastae

[monmorgandy]

Shasta Salamander (Hydromantes shastae) by Chad Lane

[himbomantes]

The Shasta Salamander complex are my favorite species of salamanders for many reasons, they were only recently split into 3 species in 2018, the Samwel Shasta salamander (Hydromantes samweli), Wintu Shasta salamander (Hydromantes wintu) and the Shasta Salamander (Hydromantes shastae).

The life history of these three species is what makes me love them so much and they all live around different parts of Lake Shasta a man-made reservoir in Northern California.

The Genus Hydromantes/Speleomantes and why they're the best

5 species exist in California while the other 8 are in Southern Europe. The two clades are thought to have separated 13.5 million years ago.

All of the species inhabit very specific habitat in limestone caves and cliffs and they all possess webbed toes for climbing steep surfaces with the help of their tail as a 5th limb. Webbed-Toed Salamanders is the common name for this Genus.

Along with being able to climb with ease these species evolved to have a ballistic tongue reaching 80% of their body length, they're the only known vertebrates to shoot part of their visceral skeleton completely out of its body as a projectile.

Back to the Shasta Salamanders

The three species were split into individual geographic areas around the lake. Due to their cryptic lifestyle in delicate habitat in a small range there was an attempt to list them as endangered species to give further protection, which was the main conflict for a $1.4 Billion project to raise the Shasta Dam that would put the salamanders at higher risk of extinction along with the remaining sacred lands (many of which were destroyed in the original construction of the dam) of the Winnemem Wintu Tribe and many other species unique to the Shasta area. The salamanders were denied the protective status.

| The range boundaries of the three species |

Last October I found out about these salamanders and I had been obsessed with them ever since and my personal adventure earlier this year to go see all three currently described species was one of the most exciting things I've ever done, I felt in touch with nature and being in the gorgeous places these unique species inhabit.

The Wintu Shasta salamander (Hydromantes wintu) was the first of the three I saw and the one I was hoping to see most. Their total range is no more than 5 km² and there's pretty much no human development along that area so I had to kayak across the lake then hike up to a cave along very steep cliffs and getting spooked by a rattlesnake during the ascent but it was well worth it to see this salamander hanging out in an eye level pocket inside the cave. Photographs were taken and then left as is to not disturb them more than needed.

The cave they were first found in was also the cave where the first Giant Short-faced Bear fossils were discovered, the largest known terrestrial mammalian carnivorians to ever exist. Many other species were described from this same cave, most being from fossils. If you're curious about visiting a more impressive cave that's much easier to reach but in the same general area go to Shasta Caverns.

The 2nd species I saw was the Shasta Salamander (Hydromantes shastae) the area I found them in was a nice walk in a Ponderosa Pine forest then immediately changed to very steep limestone cliffs (pictured below)

The third and final species of the complex I saw was the Samwel Shasta salamander (Hydromantes samweli)

The photos show the webbed feet the Genus is known for and notice the tail dragging behind it on the floor of the cave giving extra support, while watching all of the species walk their tail would wag back and forth helping them stay balanced.

These salamanders are very special to me and the area they inhabit and hopefully they will be able to persist with future human development and climate change. holding out hope for these little guys!!

[wormlizard]

[monmorgandy]

Shasta Salamander (Hydromantes shastae) by Chad Lane

[himbomantes]

The Shasta Salamander complex are my favorite species of salamanders for many reasons, they were only recently split into 3 species in 2018, the Samwel Shasta salamander (Hydromantes samweli), Wintu Shasta salamander (Hydromantes wintu) and the Shasta Salamander (Hydromantes shastae).

The life history of these three species is what makes me love them so much and they all live around different parts of Lake Shasta a man-made reservoir in Northern California.

The Genus Hydromantes/Speleomantes and why they're the best

5 species exist in California while the other 8 are in Southern Europe. The two clades are thought to have separated 13.5 million years ago.

All of the species inhabit very specific habitat in limestone caves and cliffs and they all possess webbed toes for climbing steep surfaces with the help of their tail as a 5th limb. Webbed-Toed Salamanders is the common name for this Genus.

Along with being able to climb with ease these species evolved to have a ballistic tongue reaching 80% of their body length, they're the only known vertebrates to shoot part of their visceral skeleton completely out of its body as a projectile.

Back to the Shasta Salamanders

The three species were split into individual geographic areas around the lake. Due to their cryptic lifestyle in delicate habitat in a small range there was an attempt to list them as endangered species to give further protection, which was the main conflict for a $1.4 Billion project to raise the Shasta Dam that would put the salamanders at higher risk of extinction along with the remaining sacred lands (many of which were destroyed in the original construction of the dam) of the Winnemem Wintu Tribe and many other species unique to the Shasta area. The salamanders were denied the protective status.

| The range boundaries of the three species |

Last October I found out about these salamanders and I had been obsessed with them ever since and my personal adventure earlier this year to go see all three currently described species was one of the most exciting things I've ever done, I felt in touch with nature and being in the gorgeous places these unique species inhabit.

The Wintu Shasta salamander (Hydromantes wintu) was the first of the three I saw and the one I was hoping to see most. Their total range is no more than 5 km² and there's pretty much no human development along that area so I had to kayak across the lake then hike up to a cave along very steep cliffs and getting spooked by a rattlesnake during the ascent but it was well worth it to see this salamander hanging out in an eye level pocket inside the cave. Photographs were taken and then left as is to not disturb them more than needed.

The cave they were first found in was also the cave where the first Giant Short-faced Bear fossils were discovered, the largest known terrestrial mammalian carnivorians to ever exist. Many other species were described from this same cave, most being from fossils. If you're curious about visiting a more impressive cave that's much easier to reach but in the same general area go to Shasta Caverns.

The 2nd species I saw was the Shasta Salamander (Hydromantes shastae) the area I found them in was a nice walk in a Ponderosa Pine forest then immediately changed to very steep limestone cliffs (pictured below)

The third and final species of the complex I saw was the Samwel Shasta salamander (Hydromantes samweli)

The photos show the webbed feet the Genus is known for and notice the tail dragging behind it on the floor of the cave giving extra support, while watching all of the species walk their tail would wag back and forth helping them stay balanced.

These salamanders are very special to me and the area they inhabit and hopefully they will be able to persist with future human development and climate change. holding out hope for these little guys!!

[wormlizard]