Hydromantes platycephalus
Silhouette: C. Camilo Julián-Caballero · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~50%
The Mount Lyell salamander (Hydromantes platycephalus) is a species of web-toed salamander in the family Plethodontidae. This species was first observed in 1915 on Mount Lyell in Yosemite National Park, during the Yosemite Natural History Survey conducted by the California Museum of Vertebrate Zoology. It is endemic to the Sierra Nevada mountains of California in the United States. It is usually found at high elevation, in microhabitats such as rock fissures, talus, caves and crevices. Its altitudinal range is 1,220–3,670 m (4,000–12,040 ft) above sea level. No significant threats to this species are known.
The Mount Lyell salamander has a flat, slender body that is a deep brown-black in color, with dorsal grey-green mottling. In juveniles, the mottling is usually more gold-green in color, but there is wide variation among individuals. Populations tend to have mottling that matches the color of the granite in the region.
The species' head is noticeably flattened, as its latin eponym (platycephalus, meaning "flat head") suggests. Its toes are webbed, as is typical of the Hydromantes genus, and it has short legs and a stubby tail. Adults grow to approximately 120... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Yosemite National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Mount Lyell Salamander sighting in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks on a given day, based on 27 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 11th most-seen of the 12 amphibians we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
July
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Mount Lyell Salamander in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks on a given day, against under 5% in October to April, the lowest months. That is one of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks's driest months, with about 20 mm of rain against 190 mm in January.
Between 8 and 11 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Mount Lyell Salamander sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is seen both by day and at night.
Yes
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Mount Lyell Salamander sightings, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Yosemite National Park (United States, about 10%).
Same family: Plethodontidae
The closest relatives of the Mount Lyell Salamander that you can see in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks (family Plethodontidae, Lungless Salamanders) are Ensatina (about 30%), Sequoia Slender Salamander (about 10%) and Gregarious Slender Salamander (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Mount Lyell Salamander is recorded against all the amphibians logged in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks (27 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
