Description

Batrachoseps bramei is a small, slender salamander with relatively long limbs. Snout-vent length of males is 31.9-36.7mm, and 31.7-39.3mm for females. The head is flattened and broad. The eyes stick out past the jaw line when viewed form below. The nostrils are small and protrude only slightly. The vomerine teeth are arranged in patches. No hedonic gland is found in males. Between the limbs, there are 17-18 costal grooves. The fingers and toes of B. bramei are well formed, with relative length (descending) of 3, 2, 4, 1. The first digit is very reduced. Webbing of the digits is seen in some individuals. The tail tapers and is about the same length as the body, with no constriction at the base (Jockusch et al. 2012).

B. bramei can be distinguished from other members of the B. nigriventis group by its robust appearance (more robust than B. simatus, less robust than B. stebbinsi), small size, broad head, long limbs, and relatively large hands and feet (Jockusch et al. 2012).

Coloration: The base coloration of the dorsum in B. bramei is slate black or brown black. The ventral surfaces are uniformly black. The iris is gray. Guanophores on the dorsum and on the lateral surfaces result in a metallic silver or brassy appearance (Jockusch et al. 2012).

Variation: There are differences between the sexes in terms of size and number of teeth (with females generally being larger and having more teeth). Males have enlarged premaxillary teeth relative to their maxillaries.

Males from more southern populations are larger than those from northern populations. Chest width is narrower in individuals from the Cannel Creek area than in individuals from the type locality. Less webbing is present in specimens from Wofford Heights.

Color in B. bramei varies significantly both within populations and across its range. Some individuals may have gold or copper colored patches over their shoulders, distinct from their dorsolateral stripes. Individuals in the northern parts of the range generally have dull dorsal coloration, but bold red or metallic coloration can be seen in individuals near Cannell Creek (Jockusch et al. 2012).

The species authorities are Elizabeth L. Jockusch, I�igo Mart�nez-Solano, Robert W. Hansen, and David B. Wake.

B. bramei is named for Arden H. Brame, Jr., who was the first (along with Keith Murray) to recognize Kern River Canyon Batrachoseps as morphologically distinct from other Slender Salamanders in California (Jockusch et al. 2012).

Brame and Murray (1968) labelled B. bramei specimens "B. simatus," but noted their distinct morphology.