The Mexican Barcode of Life (MEXBOL) project started as an initiative by researchers who wanted México to join the international DNA barcoding (iBOL) collaboration to establish a genetic system of species identification and discovery. MEXBOL has three main nodes associated with different research institutions in the northern, central, and southern parts of the country. At the beginning of 2009, the laboratories of the three nodes began to operate with support from the University of Guelph in Canada where DNA barcoding began in 2003. By the end of 2011, the laboratories in México will be completely equipped and fully operational. The project is funded by the Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACyT). In addition, the steering committee of MEXBOL supports the Comisión Nacional para el Conocimiento y Uso de la Biodiversidad (CONABIO) initiative to offer grants to any university and research center for barcoding collections of Mexican specimens. We present preliminary results of projects dealing with barcoding Mexican mammals. The aims of these analyses are to evaluate the importance of the DNA barcoding (using cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene; COI) for the identification of species, study of genetic diversity, and taxonomic review. Our preliminary data suggest that DNA barcodes can be used for the discovery of cryptic species and have important implications to the understanding of the mega-diversity of mammals in México.

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Resumen. Se presenta una lista de los mamíferos de la presa Cajón de Peña, Jalisco, que es uno de los últimos remanentes de selva extensa en la costa de Jalisco. Se utilizaron trampas Sherman, Tomahawk, redes y observaciones directas mensualmente durante dos años. Se encontró que la mastofauna esta compuesta por 42 especies, pertenecientes a 16 familias y 6 ordenes. Los ordenes más representativos fueron Chiroptera y Rodentia. La mayoría de los mamíferos tienen afinidad Neotropical y cinco especies son consideradas como endémicas para México. Doce especies están dentro de una categoría de riesgo de acuerdo con alguna de las tres organizaciones revisadas. Los índices de similitud muestran que las estaciones de muestreo se agrupan de acuerdo a la riqueza de especies, mientras que en general la mastofauna de la presa Cajón de Peña se asemeja a la fauna reportada para la Estación de Biología Chamela.Palabras clave:Cajón de Peña, Chiroptera, Mamíferos, México, Rodentia.Abstract. The goal of this study was to assess the mammalian richness of the dam Cajón de Peña in Jalisco. Sherman traps, Tomahawk, mist nets and direct counts were used monthly during two years. Mammalian fauna is composed by 42 species, 16 families and 6 orders. Chiroptera and Rodentia were the most representative orders in the area. Most of the species have Neotropical affinities, and five are considered endemic to the Mexico. Twelve species have legal protection according with three organizations. Equivalence indexes showed a similarity among the different sampled areas, in overall the fauna of Cajón de Peña presented a mammalian resemblance with the Biological Station of Chamela.