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University of Calif ornia Publications in Zoology [Vol. 27 
Ambystoma paroticum Baird. British Columbia Salamander 
Amblystoma paroticum Baird in Cope (1867, pp. 200-201). Original de- 
scription, type from Chiloweyuck, Washington Territory [= Chilliwack 
Lake, British Columbia]. 
Chondrotus paroticus, Van Denburgh (1916, p. 216). At'Requa, Bel Norte 
County, California. 
Ambystoma paroticum, Grinnell and Camp (1917, p. 139, fig. 1). Range in 
California. 
Ambystoma paroticum, Stejneger and Barbour (1917, p. 11; 1923, p. 6). 
General range. 
Diagnosis. — Size large, total length up to 179 millimeters (7 
inches) ; body stout ; a distinct parotoid gland on each side of neck 
behind orbit ; costal folds 10 ; digits slender ; plantar surfaces of all 
feet smooth, without tubercles of any sort ; vomerine teeth in four 
groups arranged in a nearly straight line across roof of mouth, 
posterior to internal nares; coloration plain dark brown above, yel- 
lowish brown beneath. 
Comparisons. — Distinguished from all other California salaman- 
ders by presence of distinct raised parotoid glands on neck region; 
from Plethodontidae by absence of naso-labial groove and para- 
sphenoid teeth and presence of vomerine teeth ; from Salamandridae 
by presence of vomerine teeth and by smoother body skin ; from 
Dicamptodon ensatus by plain instead of marbled pattern of coloration 
and 10 instead of 12 costal folds ; from Ambystoma calif ornimse by 
plain instead of spotted pattern of coloration and 10 instead of 11 or 
12 costal folds ; from Ambystoma macrodactylum by larger size, plain 
pattern of coloration, and 10 instead of 11 costal folds. 
Description (based on adult, no. 29108, Calif. Acad. Sci.). — Gen- 
eral form stout, head moderate, limbs well developed ; outline of head 
from above bluntly oval, thin in profile; tip of muzzle flattened be- 
tween nares, steep in profile; external nares terminal; no canthus 
rostralis; orbit small, about one-third distance from tip of snout to 
end of commissure of mouth ; eyelid narrow ; inter orbital space equal 
to length of orbit; parotoid gland separated slightly from orbit, on 
side of neck region, the two glands converging posteriorly, each gland 
about 7 X 14.5 mm., and slightly raised above surrounding surface ; 
angle of jaw behind orbit; deep groove from behind orbit extending 
ventrally on side of head behind jaw; lower jaw roundedly oval in 
outline; a swollen gland on side of neck below parotoid on each side, 
about equaling latter in size; upper and lower glands on each side 
separated by a deep lateral furrow extending to insertion of foreleg ; 
gular fold narrow, opposite posterior margin of parotoid ; free portion 
of upper arm about equaling forearm ; hand slightly longer than fore- 
arm ; plantar surface of hand entirely smooth, digits long and slender, 
in order of decreasing length, 3, 2, 4, 1 ; 10 complete costal folds 
between axilla and groin; costal grooves sloping dorsoanteriorly ; 
dorsal groove distinct in preserved specimen ; hind limb much stouter 
than fore limb; exposed portion of femur longer than tibia; foot 
decidedly longer than tibia ; plantar surface of foot entirely smooth ; 
