Amphibian and reptile biodiversity in the semi-arid region of the municipality of Nopala de Villagrán, Hidalgo, Mexico

Abstract

Current global changes are putting both biodiversity and the processes that depend on it at risk. This is especially true for semi-arid regions and the flagship groups that inhabit them, such as amphibians and reptiles. Semi-arid regions are often thought to have lower biodiversity and thus have been overlooked, resulting in the underestimation of their biological richness. Therefore, the aim of this study was to conduct an inventory of amphibians and reptiles in the semi-arid municipality of Nopala de Villagrán, Mexico, and analyze its biodiversity in relation to the seasons, vegetation and microhabitat. During a year of fieldwork, we found 24 species in the area, most of them of low abundance, and one of which was recorded for the first time for the state of Hidalgo. We documented five amphibian species and 19 reptile species. We also found that observed species richness was higher in the rainy season and in xeric scrub vegetation, although only the season differences were significant according to rarefaction curves. Our findings highlight the importance of seasonality and vegetation type for the species that inhabit this semi-arid region. This study broadens our understanding of the importance of semi-arid regions and, by extension, that of other areas with similar characteristics.

Composition, Microhabitat and Conservation of the Anurans Community in Lower Basin Temascatio River, Guanajuato

“…This was observed in this study, where more species were recorded during the rainy season, but more abundance during the dry season. The pattern observed during the dry months is different from that in other studies, where more abundance was observed during the wet season (Conte and Machado, 2005;Huckembeck et al, 2012;Leyte-Manrique et al, 2018;Roth-Monzón et al, 2018). This pattern could be related to the reproductive strategies displayed by the different species.…”

“…The microhabitats (MH) were classified based on species behavior; 1-saxicolous, 2-terrestrial, 3-arboreal, 4-riparian, and 5-aquatic (Martín-Regalado et al, 2016;Roth-Monzón et al, 2018). The structures of the habitat and microhabitat were characterized based on physical features (rocks, plants, logs, water bodies, etc.…”

Aspectos ecológicos de una comunidad de anuros en un ambiente tropical estacional en Guanajuato, México

“…Aludimos este solapamiento a que las cuatro especies comparten hábitos similares, y sus periodos de actividad pueden coincidir entre sí (ver Cuadro 2), además la mayor parte de los registros y avistamientos fue en rocas, terraplenes y montículos de arena en BG y BTC. Por lo que la selección del microhábitat y la fluctuación de los valores de solapamiento entre especies, no dependerá solamente de la disponibilidad de refugios, sino también de la capacidad para enfrentar tolerancia fisiológica y conductual de cada especie (Wiens & Graham, 2005;Roberto et al, 2011;Roth-Monzón et al, 2018).…”

An integrative taxonomy of the genus Stasimopus Simon 1892 (Araneae: Mygalomorphae) of the Karoo with the description of nine new species and a Stasimopus maraisi Hewitt 1914 male

“…The Karoo contains unique and sensitive ecosystems which respond poorly to disturbance and have slow recovery rates (Holness et al 2016). This region has long been neglected in studies due to the assumption of low biodiversity in semi-arid regions (Roth-Monzón et al 2018). The area has recently undergone a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) under the Biogaps project due to the threat of impending land-use change (Holness et al 2016).…”