lungless is what most of our salamanders are in the family plethodontidae and they breathe through their they have to stay moist and they have to stay cool. well, that's why we're here, to see this animal and to learn what an animal, even a salamander, can teach us about why we have so much biodiversity here in southern california. you'd hardly believe that this was the same species of ensatina. it is, in fact, there are seven subspecies that all look different. so why are they all considered the same species? it's because the subspecies can interbreed near the margins of their ranges but at their extremes they are essentially biologically isolated - they don't interbreed, at least not given the choice. this is a textbook case, of what's known as ring-speciation. a single species migrated south a long, long time ago; it formed a ring around the great central valley - that's not good salamander habitat - it's too hot and dry. the blotched form arose in the sierra nevadas, while the red form remained on the coast. when climates warmed and dried they became isolated on the mountain peaks, a