Spring Break 2014, Santa Cruz Mountains

I went up into the Santa Cruz mountains on Monday to look for some critters for a couple of hours. No snakes were found, but many other little guys were kind enough to stay still long enough for pictures.

These little dudes were under every rotten log we found. They would often curl up into a little spiral when threatened by my giant hand.

California Slender Salamander
(Batrachoseps attenuatus)

Of course, who could forget the slugs? They were everywhere, totaling up to at least 50 on our walk.

Banana Slug
(Ariolimax columbianus (or Ariolimax californicus?))

This one wanted to run, and it was a challenge getting him to stay still, but after countless times of picking him up and putting him on the little piece of rotting wood I arranged for him, he got the idea.

Yellow-Eyed Ensatina
(Ensatina eschscholtzii xanthoptica)

This is the first guy I found. I couldn't identify him for quite a while because of the darker skin and the warts, but I finally stumbled upon a picture that looked like him some website somewhere. I read up on the warts, and it seems to be some sort of disease. Hope he's okay.

California Giant Salamander
(Dicamptodon ensatus)

This guy was pretty big. Although they are very common, every time I pick one up I am surprised by how much they weigh compared to other little animals I find.

Common Millipede
(Tylobolus uncigerus?)

This one didn't bite at all, which is unusual for this type of lizard, since they are normally aggressive when handled. It's probably because he was still a juvenile (didn't seem full grown). Nonetheless, his tail was very beautiful, and I needed a picture even though he wouldn't stand still long enough for me to take one that was in focus.

San Francisco Alligator Lizard
(Elgaria coerulea coerulea)

There are two types of alligator lizards here in the bay area, the northern and southern varieties. This guy is a subspecies of the northern variety as you can tell by his eye color, which is dark, unlike the pale yellow or white eyes (not the pupil of course) of the southern variety.

I conclude this post with a video instead of a picture, because the light was too low to be able to focus with the camera I was using. Here is the yellow-spotted millipede, which (interesting fact coming up) also happens to secrete hydrogen cyanide as a counter-attack against predators. It is therefore rightfully nicknamed the "almond-scented millipede."

Yellow-spotted Millipede
(Harpaphe haydeniana)