A. m. croceum breeding ponds retain water all summer. Conservation status Ambystoma macrodactylum croceum was designated as federally endangered in 1967 under the Endangered Species Preservation Act (a precursor to the Endangered Species Act of 1973), and endangered by the State of California in 1971;. It has also been designated as Critically imperiled at the global and state level by NatureServe. Its limited range and fragile specialized habitat place severe restrictions to the viability of this species. There is no definitive population estimate for the Santa Cruz long-toed salamander, but the numbers are deemed to be quite small. Further disturbance of its limited habitat could lead to this species' extinction. References Further reading J.D. Anderson, A Comparison of the Food Habits of Ambystoma macrodactylum sigillatum, Ambystoma macrodactylum croceum and Ambystoma tigrinum californiense, Herpetologica 24: 273–284. 1968. John L. Behler, Field Guide to North American Amphibians, National Audubon Society. 1996. L.G. Talent and C.L. Talent A Population of the Endangered Santa Cruz Long-toed Salamander (Ambystoma macrocactylum croceum) Monterey County, California, California Department of Fish and Game. 66: 184–186. 1980. R.C. Stebbins, A Field Guide to Western Reptiles and Amphibians, 2nd ed. Houghton Mifflin. 1985. S.B. Ruth, The Life History and Current Status of the Santa Cruz Long-toed Salamander, Proceedings of California Herpetology. H.F. DeLisle, P.R. Brown, B. Kaufman, B.M. McGurty, editors, Southwestern Herpetologists Society. External links Photographs and life history information- California Herps.com Don Roberson, ''California Salamanders Mole salamanders Amphibians of the United States salamanders Natural history of the California Coast Ranges Natural history of Monterey County, California Natural history of Santa Cruz County, California Monterey Bay Critically endangered fauna of California ESA endangered species