This species inhabits grasslands, coastal sage scrub, chaparral, riparian oak woodland, and pine forest. Animals are often found under rocks and logs, and alongside streams, and have been found in abundance under driftwood within 50–60 m of the ocean. This species breeds by direct development (Green et al. 2014).

This species is restricted to the northern Channel Islands of East Anacapa, Middle Anacapa, West Anacapa, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, and San Miguel off the coast of Santa Barbara, California (Jockusch et al. 1998, 2001, Wake and Jockusch 2000, Green et al. 2014). It ranges from sea level to approximately 430 m asl in elevation, with the highest point occurring on Santa Cruz Island (Green et al. 2014). Its extent of occurrence (EOO) is 1,226 km².

Conservation Actions In-Place
All occupied islands are protected within either the Channel Islands National Park or by The Nature Conservancy. West Anacapa, Middle Anacapa, East Anacapa, and San Miguel are all managed entirely as natural areas (Green et al. 2014).

Conservation Needed
Continued rigorous management of the existing parks is the best guarantee for the conservation of this species.

Research Needed
Further research on this species' distribution, population size and trends is recommended.