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The potential distribution of the Greater Grison, Galictis vittata, reaches east-central México including the southern portion of Tamaulipas state. However, there are no geographical records that confirm this potential range limit. Our study documents the first record of the Greater Grison photographed by camera traps at "El Cielo" Biosphere Reserve, Tamaulipas State, México. We installed 26 camera traps at "El Cielo" Biosphere Reserve. The cameras were programmed to take pictures and with the date and hour of each photo recorded automatically. Also, we created a map, which combined the Greater Grison's potential distribution and published occurrence records, to overlay on our new sightings in "El Cielo". One camera trap recorded two photos of a Greater Grison at "El Cielo" Biosphere Reserve, within a preserved pine-oak forest environment. These two records represent the only confirmed sightings of the Greater Grison in Tamaulipas state and they are located 64.4 km northwest of the nearest estimated potential distribution and 186 km north of the northern-most sighting in southern San Luis Potosí. The record of our study expand both the original potential distribution and the known distribution of this species toward the northwest and north, respectively. The sightings also increase the known elevation limit of the species in México from 1,500 to 1,790 m. We believe that the occurrence of Greater Grison at "El Cielo" is not unusual because this site has the conditions and habitat that are suitable to the distribution of this species.

Roberts’ False Brook Salamander (Pseudoeurycea robertsi) is a critically endangered plethodontid salamander, endemic to the Nevado de Toluca Volcano (NTV), Mexico. Little is known about the biology and ecology of this species, including its microhabitats. Thus, this study aimed to collect basic information about P. robertsi. We sampled fourteen forested sites in the NTV; to corroborate the correct identification of the species we used genetic data, we assessed the variation in head morphometric measurements and dorsal colouration patterns amongst localities and the microhabitat features associated with P. robertsi presence. Of the four potential salamander species, P. robertsi was the most abundant (89.80%) and widely distributed (approximately within 130 km2) salamander in the NTV. We did not find significant variations in morphometry; however, we found significant differences in dorsal patterns between populations (in the number and size of segments of the dorsal stripe). The average total length for 185 adults was 89.15 mm (38.7–117.9 mm); we found seven patterns of dorsal stripe. We found 98% of P. robertsi individuals under the bark of fallen logs in Abies religiosa and A. religiosa-Pinus sp. forests, with a higher number of detected salamanders in naturally-fallen logs than in cut logs (34% vs. 10%). Thus, keeping well-preserved A. religiosa forests and retaining fallen logs is essential to P. robertsi conservation.

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Seasonal changes in the dorsal coloration in the lizard Aspidoscelis costata costata (Squamata: Teiidae). Color and color patterns in animals are important characteristics that bring protection, by dampening the ability of predators that depend on their sight to detect their preys. In lizards, the dorsal coloration plays a key role in communication of intraspecific signals such as social cues. In this study, we evaluated the seasonal changes in the dorsal coloration of the wide foraging lizard A. costata costata, in Tonatico, State of Mexico, Mexico. The seasonal evaluation included: the rainy season from mid June to mid September (can also include the end of May to early October); and the dry season for the rest of the year. The dorsal coloration of A. costata costata and their microhabitats were evaluated by contrasting the color pattern with an identification guide and the control colors of Pantone®, during 11 samplings carried out from February-October 2007. Individual lizard analysis recorded snout-vent length, sex and stage (juveniles and adults). Besides, all animals were marked by toe-clipping, allowing to distinguish dorsal coloration between seasons, sex and stage. A total of 95 lizards were analyzed (53 and 42 for the dry and rainy seasons respectively). We found that the dorsal coloration in A. costata costata varies seasonally and with microhabitats: during the dry season individuals show a brown coloration whereas during the rainy season becomes greener, as the background dominant vegetation color. The results of the present study suggest that: 1) the variation in dorsal coloration in A. costata costata plays an important role in the survival (by cryptic camouflage) of this widely foraging species; 2) the changes in the dorsal coloration of A. costata costata are individually expressed traits, since the coloration of the same lizard is either brown or green depending on the season; and 3) the cryptic functions of the dorsal coloration in widely foraging species have been largely underestimated. We discuss the possible influence of the changes in coloration in an habitat that changes drastically between both dry and rainy seasons.

Anthropogenic changes, such as land use and climate change, are the greatest threats to biodiversity, especially for reptiles, the second most endangered vertebrate class worldwide. Species distribution modelling was applied to assess how expected scenarios of future climate and land cover change might influence the geographic distribution and habitat connectivity of three Conopsisearthsnakes endemic to Mexico: Conopsis biserialis (Taylor and Smith, 1942),Conopsis lineata (Kennicott, 1859), and Conopsis nasus (Günther, 1858). In order to do this, two climate models were used, CNRM-CM5 (CN) and MPI-ESM-LR (MP), with the Representative Concentration Pathways of RCP 85 and the Maxent modelling method in ENMeval. The most important environmental variables affecting the distribution of the target species, as well as the environmental niche overlap between them, were also determined. C. biserialis, C. lineata, and C. nasus were found to be restricted by maximum and minimum temperatures as they are adapted to high elevations and temperate semi-cold climates; therefore, climate was a main determining factor for species distribution. As expected, all Conopsis species were predicted to face a reduction in their potential distribution with C. lineata possibly losing approximately 48.5% and C. biserialislosing 28.7%. However, the models were inconsistent in determining which species would suffer the biggest reduction in distribution in the future. Likewise, a reduction in connectivity was found for the three species of Conopsis, while the Sierra de las Cruces and Corredor Biológico Chichinautzin were determined as very important areas in terms of connectivity. Unfortunately, great losses of Abies and Pinus forests occurred in these areas between 2011 and 2014, along with an increase in the agricultural activity that compromises the populations of these species when intensively managed. Most of the potential distribution of these species are found in close proximity to agriculture and outside of protected areas, which is why it is extremely important to create protected areas for reptile species that live in these parts of central Mexico.