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This study documents the prevalence, mean intensity, mean abundance, aggregation, and seasonal variation of Amblyomma dissimile Koch in free-living snakes in the tropical humid climate of the Centro municipality of Tabasco, Mexico. A total of 19 snakes of seven species were captured manually during trail walks by trained personnel and carefully inspected for ticks. A morphological characterization identified the ticks as A. dissimile. Estimates indicated that 52.6% of the snakes had been parasitized by this tick. A total of 213 ticks were collected. The mean abundance was 11.2 (95% CI= 4-36), and the mean intensity was 21.3 (95% CI=8-57.1). Adult ticks were the most abundant, followed by nymphs and larvae. The most common parasitized body area was the first third of the snake's body, followed by the second, third, and finally, the head. Half of the inspected snakes were parasitized, and the ticks were found most frequently in the atlantooccipital joint area at the entrance to the stomach. There were high parasitic indices, abundances, and intensities, and Boa imperator Daudin was the most parasitized snake. More parasitized snakes were observed during the dry season. The study compiles relevant information about the presence of A. dissimile and their host snakes in Tabasco, Mexico. Resumen Este estudio documenta la prevalencia, intensidad media, abundancia media, agregación y variación estacional de Amblyomma dissimile Koch en serpientes de vida libre en el clima tropical húmedo del municipio Centro de Tabasco, México. Un total de 19 serpientes de siete especies fueron capturadas manualmente por personal capacitado durante recorridos en senderos. Cada serpiente fué cuidadosamente inspeccionada en busca de garrapatas. La caracterización morfológica permitió identificar a las garrapatas como A. dissimile. Las estimaciones indicaron que el 52.6% de las serpientes estaban parasitadas por esta garrapata. Se colectaron 213 garrapatas. La abundancia media fue 11.2 (IC 95%= 4-36), y la intensidad media fue 21.3 (IC 95%=8-57.1). Las garrapatas adultas fueron las más abundantes, seguidas de ninfas y larvas. El área corporal parasitada más común fue el primer tercio del cuerpo de la serpiente, seguido del segundo, tercero y finalmente la cabeza. La mitad de las serpientes inspeccionadas estaban parasitadas y las garrapatas se encontraron con mayor frecuencia de la zona de la articulación atlantooccipital a la entrada del estómago. Se detectaron índices altos para la abundancia e intensidad parasitaria, las serpientes de la especie Boa imperator Daudin fue la más parasitada. Se observó mayor cantidad de serpientes parasitadas durante la estación seca. El estudio recopila información relevante sobre la presencia de A. dissimile y sus serpientes hospedadoras en Tabasco, México. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Cryptotis goodwini species group of small-eared shrews (Eulipotyphla, Soricidae) includes at least 12 species discontinuously distributed in the cloud forests from southern Mexico to Honduras. Its taxonomy is still under study, with several species described only in the last decade. Previous genetic studies have highlighted that a population from El Triunfo Biosphere Reserve in Chiapas, Mexico, previously assigned to C. goodwini , is evolutionarily divergent from the other known species. However, the available specimens from this region have not been examined rigorously. Herein, I use morphological and biogeographic analyses to evaluate the taxonomic status of this population. The results confirm that it is an independent lineage, which I describe here as a new species endemic to Mexico. Overall, this is the largest shrew within the C. goodwini group. Its morphological and genetic distinction is probably due to long-term geographic isolation in the mountains of El Triunfo. I present what is now the first and only record of C. goodwini (sensu stricto) for Mexico. Finally, I identify some priority regions to direct field surveys on the C. goodwini species group to better understand its richness and distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of the genus Acanthocyclops is described from temporal freshwater bodies in the Sian Ka'an and Calakmul Biosphere Reserves in Southeast Mexico. Acanthocyclops fiersi n. sp. represents the third species of the genus described from the Neotropics, only after A. rebecae and A. smithae. Acanthocyclops fiersi n. sp., is recognized as a member of the A. vernalis-robustus species-complex, and its clear divergence with respect to its congeners was supported using comparative morphology and molecular methods. The mtCOI marker revealed a 0.54% K2P divergence within populations of A. fiersi n. sp. and 17.6-22.41% with respect to other members of the A. vernalis-robustus species-complex. Acanthocyclops fiersi n. sp. might be restricted to the Yucatán Peninsula. Comments about the likely underestimated regional diversity of Acanthocyclops and the need of further studies in the Neotropics are provided. An identification key to the species of Acanthocyclops distributed in Mexico is included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad is the property of Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Instituto de Biologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad is the property of Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Instituto de Biologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad is the property of Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Instituto de Biologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A new species of Trionymus Berg is described and illustrated. A dichotomic key of the species of this genus present in Mexico is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad is the property of Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Instituto de Biologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction: The family Naucoridae, of worldwide distribution, is divided into five subfamilies, with four of them and six genera reported to date in Central America. The genus Interocoris (Laccocorinae) is monotypic and was only recorded from Mexico. Objective: To report the first confirmed record of Interocoris mexicanus from Costa Rica and Central America, and to provide complementary descriptions of adults and nymphal instar V and associated microhabitat. Methods: a comparison of the external morphology (measurements and proportions) was made of specimens collected from two localities in Costa Rica with the type material of I. mexicanus from Mexico. Results: a positive identification of the species was obtained from the morphological comparison, which is why it is reported for the first time from Costa Rica and Central America. The specimens collected generally coincided with the measurements and relationships of the type material of I. mexicanus, with slight differences, some of them even reported for the specimens of the type series in the original description. Complementary descriptions of adults are presented and the morphology of nymph V is described for the first time. Conclusions: with this new record, the range of the genus Interocoris as well as the species I. mexicanus is expanded significantly from Mexico to Costa Rica. In addition, the reported number of genera of Naucoridae is increased to six in Costa Rica and to seven in the Central American region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phenology in animals is strongly influenced by seasonality that promotes changes in abundance of food resources and temperature. These changes may impose energetic constraints to organisms in certain seasons during the year, especially on those animals facing high energetic demands, such as nectarivorous bats. Seasonality in temperate forests could, therefore, promote migration of female nectarivorous bat to find warmer sites, thus enhancing breeding success. To test this hypothesis, we compared the proportion of females and the proportion of pregnant females of the nectarivorous bat Anoura geoffroyi , between months, in six different populations across temperate forests of Mexico. Bats were captured over a complete season cycle either with sweep or mist nets at the entrance or near their roosting caves, and their age, sex, and reproductive condition were recorded. We found that over 50% of bats present in the cave roosts across different populations in temperate forests of the Trans-Mexican Neovolcanic Belt of Mexico during the warmer and wetter months (April–September) were females, both pregnant and nonpregnant. In contrast, fewer than 30% of bats present in the roosting caves sampled in the colder and drier months (October–March) were females. In addition, we found that the temperature that favors the proportion of females at the studied sites was greater than 8°C. We concluded that seasonality affects sex ratio and phenology of A. geoffroyi in Mexican temperate forests. Our findings suggest females' migrations to lowland warmer sites to improve prenatal development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detailed knowledge of species ecological preferences and robust taxonomy of paleobioindicators are prerequisites for accurate paleoclimate and paleoenvironmental studies. This study aims to expand the knowledge of modern, Neotropical freshwater ostracode fauna, across an altitudinal gradient from the karst lakes in the lowlands of El Petén, Guatemala (100-500 m.a.s.l.), to the mid-elevation lakes of the Lacandón forest (500-1 000 m.a.s.l.), to the higher-altitude lakes of Montebello, Chiapas, Mexico (1 000-1 500 m.a.s.l.). Eighteen ostracode species were identified in 24 lakes. Ostracodes were absent in Lakes Amarillo and Lacandón (mid-altitude), and San Diego (lowlands); probably explained by a structural difference of habitats and species interactions. Statistical analysis indicated that the most abundant species, Cypridopsis vidua (O.F. Müller, 1776), Cytheridella ilosvayi Daday, 1905, Pseudocandona antilliana Broodbakker, 1983, and Darwinula stevensoni (Brady & Robertson, 1870) have a continuous distribution along the entire altitudinal gradient. Some species display more restricted distributions, determined by temperature, precipitation and conductivity. For example, Eucypris sp. is restricted to the lowlands, Vestalenula sp. and Cypria sp. were found only at middle elevations. Species diversity is slightly greater in lakes at middle altitudes (Haverage = 1.09) than in water bodies in the lowlands (Haverage = 0.94) and in cooler lakes in the highlands (Haverage = 0.94), suggesting that mid-elevation lakes have a high potential for harboring microrefugia. Locally weighted scatterplot smoothing (LOESS regressions) provided ecological preference information for the four most frequent and widely distributed species, with respect to temperature, conductivity, bicarbonate (HCO3 -) concentration, precipitation, and pH. Darwinula stevensoni suggest an association more to cooler temperatures and lower conductivities proving its high tolerance range. Cypridopsis vidua is associated with warm and low-rainfall environments, such as recorded in the lowlands of Guatemala, and can be used as a paleobioindicator of vegetated littoral zones, because we found it always associated to this section of lakes. Cytheridella ilosvayi show preferences for warm and humid conditions, whereas P. antilliana prefer colder and humid environments. Such quantitative-ecological information will improve ostracode-based paleoenvironmental reconstructions in Southern Mexico and Northern Guatemala. In addition, our approach serves as a model for future paleoecological studies that employ other aquatic bioindicators, such as testate amoebae, cladocerans, and chironomids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a list of noteworthy distribution records for 12 bird species in the state of Guerrero, Mexico, which were observed and captured during field work from 2006–2013 in different environments. One of the records (Setophaga citrina) is new to the state, and observations of an additional five species (e.g., Pelecanus erythrorynchos, Mycteria americana, Setophaga dominica) have expanded their geographical distribution to biotic provinces where their presence was previously unrecorded. The presence of another six species (e.g., Elanus leucurus, Setophaga palmarum) with scarce distributional information was confirmed. Records presented in this scientific note highlight the importance of continuing inventory work in unexplored environments, and even in areas that are apparently well-surveyed. Coupled with biogeography, taxonomy and ecology studies, such studies will help to improve the understanding of the natural history of birds and their means of conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new Mexican species of the Neotropical genus Hologymnetis Martínez (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae: Gymnetini) is described and illustrated. A new key to identify adults of Hologymnetis species is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad is the property of Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Instituto de Biologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad is the property of Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Instituto de Biologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad is the property of Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Instituto de Biologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The genus Bdallophytum is comprised of root parasitic plants distributed in northern neotropics. In Mexico occur all the species of the genus, two of which are endemic. The genus has previously been positioned within the tribe Cytineae of the Raflesiaceae, but based on results from molecular phylogenetic analyses, this tribe is currently recognized at the rank of family as Cytinaceae. Historically, one to four species have been accepted in the genus, and the most-recent taxonomic treatment for the genus was realized more than 70 years ago. In the present work, a principal coordinate analysis was conducted in order to evaluate the identity and number of species in this genus. The results of this analysis suggest the recognition of three species. A taxonomic study with a key to species is presented, along with bibliographic information, morphological descriptions, specimens examined, ecological information, distributional maps and photos of the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied the arboreal composition of the tropical mountain rainforest's upper canopy in the San Martín Pajapán volcano, Tatahuicapan, Veracruz, México (18°26′ N; 94°17′ W). Two forest stands were studied, one in an exposed position and one protected. The Shannon index of diversity and the Jaccard index of affinity were calculated to calculate affinities between plots and between stands of different environmental exposures. The average Shannon value was 3.391 +0.121 for the exposed zone and 3.511 +0.53 for the protected zone. There is a greater species number and tree density in the exposed stand. This difference might be caused be different orientation to dominant winds. The diversity index value is high is similar between the stands, despite the important difference in species composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]