Anniellidae ✦ Essential

They lack external ear openings but retain vestigial traces of a pectoral girdle. Ecology and Behavior

( A. alexanderae ): Found in a very limited range at the base of the Temblor Mountains. anniellidae

( A. grinnelli ): Known from small patches in the southern San Joaquin Valley. They lack external ear openings but retain vestigial

( A. pulchra ): Found from the San Francisco Bay Area south through central California. pulchra ): Found from the San Francisco Bay

They are insectivores, primarily eating insects, larvae, and spiders.

( A. campi ): Restricted to a few sites in the eastern Sierra Nevada. Key Physical Characteristics

Traditionally, this family was thought to contain only one or two species. However, a major taxonomic revision in 2013 identified several new species based on genetic and morphological data. Currently, the family includes one genus, , with six recognized species: