Yellow-eyed Ensatina
Ensatina eschscholtzii xanthoptica
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- E. e. xanthoptica – Contra Costa Co, CA – photo by Gary Nafis
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- Map by Steve Bledsoe, SWCHR
DISTRIBUTION: In our region, Ensatina e. xanthoptica occurs in California from Sonoma County south along the east side of the San Francisco Bay to Santa Cruz County. A separate population exists in the foothills of the central Sierra Nevada Mountains.
MEANING OF SCIENTIFIC NAME: Ensatina eschscholtzii xanthoptica (Stebbins, 1949)
Genus: Ensatina, Latin – ensatus = sword shaped + –ina = similar to — poss. ref. to the teeth
Species: eschscholtzii, honors Johann F. Eschscholtz
Subspecies: xanthoptica, Greek – xanthos = yellow + ops = eye + –ika = belonging to — ref. eye color
Ref. Ellen Beltz 2006
Ref. E. Jaeger 1962
LEGAL STATUS: No Listings