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Photos in life of species of turtles and lizards collected from C. E. Miller Ranch. A Ornate Box Turtle (Terrapene ornata) B Yellow Mud Turtle (Kinosternon flavescens) C Eastern Collard Lizard (Crotaphytus collaris) D Texas Banded Gecko (Coleonyx brevis) E Common Lesser Earless Lizard (Holbrookia maculata) F Texas Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum) G Round-tailed Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma modestum), and H Southwestern Fence Lizard (Sceloporus cowlesi). Photos by DRD.
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We report the occurrence of 50 species of amphibians and reptiles recently collected on C. E. Miller Ranch and the Sierra Vieja in the Chihuahuan Desert of Texas, USA and describe their perceived distribution and abundance across various habitat associations of the region. Our recent surveys follow intense, historic sampling of amphibians and repti...
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A checklist of the amphibians and reptiles of 35 localities situated in the northern Peruvian dry forest valley of the Marañón River and its tributaries, containing 14 species of amphibians and 54 species of reptiles, is provided from data collected between July 2005 and April 2014 during several herpetological surveys and from the literature. Deta...
Citations
... The Sierra Vieja is a low-elevation range separating the Rio Grande from the larger Davis Mountains to the northeast. Powell and Worthington (2018) described four main vegetation types in the Trans-Pecos region (see also Harveson, 2016;Henrickson & Johnston, 1986;and Davis & LaDuc, 2018). The Sierra Vieja and Chinati Mountains consist mainly of desert scrub and woodland species, but the higher elevations have montane woodland communities. ...
... Study Area.-The C. E. Miller Ranch is a 133-km 2 cattle ranch that spans portions of Jeff Davis and Presidio counties and is 18 km west of Valentine, Texas. The ranch was the site of an intensive herpetological survey in 1948 (Jameson and Flury, 1949) and we initiated new herpetological survey efforts in 2004, discovering large numbers of K. flavescens in multiple earthen cattle tanks across the property (Davis and LaDuc, 2018). Water in each tank consisted mostly of well water supplemented by natural runoff. ...
While shell diseases may be often encountered in captive aquatic turtles maintained in less than optimum conditions, cases of nonulcerating shell disease in wild populations are rare. We discovered lesions on the carapace of individual Kinosternon flavescens (Yellow Mud Turtle) adapted to a highly aquatic existence in the artificial ponds of a cattle ranch in the Chihuahuan Desert of west Texas. Because the carapacial lesions seemed to represent a continuum of a single process, we followed the gross changes in the lesions on turtles over a 13-yr period, testing the hypothesis that we were seeing a progressive shell disease. We confirmed our working hypothesis as we observed Arnoldiella chelonum, a common, filamentous alga, protruding from enlarged pores in newly formed shell and growing under translucent shell lamellae. As the disease advanced, our gross and histological studies revealed that algae were found between more of the shell lamellae, eventually culminating with sloughing of lamellae. Erosion of lamellae led to a localized but complete loss of portions of the scute and exposure of underlying bone. We provide data on the occurrence of this condition among the marked population and progression of the lesions to more-severe forms in individual turtles. Studies of specimens in research collections provided evidence of our observed disease process in K. flavescens across time and throughout the distribution of the species in Texas. We suggest that, by capitalizing on permanent artificial water sources, K. flavescens has serendipitously allowed A. chelonum to invade and damage the nonliving portion of the shell.
... There are 12 species that are likely to occur in the CCB that were not observed (1 toad, 1 lizard, and 10 snakes). All of these 12 species that were undetected in this study are present in the region and were expected to be observed at the sites but may not have been encountered due to unfavorable environmental conditions, their cryptic nature, or low abundances making detection difficult (Davis and LaDuc 2018). Considering isolated records, this inventory may have documented 88% of the reptile and amphibian species in the CCB. ...
... Recently, Cruz-Elizalde et al. (2014 reported 45 reptiles and 9 amphibians from the Real de Guadalcázar State Reserve, San Luis Potosí, Mexico. Finally, Davis and LaDuc (2018) found 50 species of herpetofauna in C.E. Miller Ranch and the Sierra Vieja in Texas. The amphibians and reptiles from the CCB represent 42% of all herpetofauna reported for the CD . ...
... Long-term studies must be conducted in order to confirm the possible local extinction of some species in the basin and to assess the effect of water loss on the endemic species associated with water bodies (García-Vázquez et al. 2010, 2018b. In other arid habitats of the CD, amphibians and reptiles have shown great annual variations (Davis and LaDuc 2018). In this regard, future faunistic or ecological research on these communities should focus its sampling effort on the endemic species associated with aquatic habits. ...
Soil is one of the less studied resources of terrestrial ecosystems, both in terms of its biodiversity and internal processes. In particular, microarthropods of desert ecosystems have been poorly studied worldwide, and probably less than 10% of the total soil species have been described. Nevertheless, microarthropods are responsible for one of the most important environmental functions: the decomposition of organic matter. In this chapter, we present the results of the first survey of soil microarthropod communities from the CCB. The study was conducted in 2015–2016 to identify the microarthropods’ diversity in its components of richness and abundance. We collected 6721 organisms of 6 classes, 26 orders, and 60 families. Acari was the most abundant and diverse group and is dominated by Prostigmata (20 families) and Oribatida (16 families). Hexapoda is represented by Collembola, Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, and Psocoptera. Differences in mite assemblages are attributable to the type of vegetation in the different sites of the CCB. The site’s taxonomic diversity is associated with habitat heterogeneity. The high productivity micro-habitats could produce high levels of biomass and not necessarily more diverse communities. We observed broad similarities in microarthropod composition at familial level among arid-semiarid ecosystems elsewhere in the world. Knowledge of soil microarthropod community will be helpful to understand the network of interactions and the flow of nutrients and energy within this desert ecosystem; all these are crucial elements to assess the health of the soil and to establish appropriate strategies for it use, management, and conservation.
... There are 12 species that are likely to occur in the CCB that were not observed (1 toad, 1 lizard, and 10 snakes). All of these 12 species that were undetected in this study are present in the region and were expected to be observed at the sites but may not have been encountered due to unfavorable environmental conditions, their cryptic nature, or low abundances making detection difficult (Davis and LaDuc 2018). Considering isolated records, this inventory may have documented 88% of the reptile and amphibian species in the CCB. ...
... Recently, Cruz-Elizalde et al. (2014 reported 45 reptiles and 9 amphibians from the Real de Guadalcázar State Reserve, San Luis Potosí, Mexico. Finally, Davis and LaDuc (2018) found 50 species of herpetofauna in C.E. Miller Ranch and the Sierra Vieja in Texas. The amphibians and reptiles from the CCB represent 42% of all herpetofauna reported for the CD . ...
... Long-term studies must be conducted in order to confirm the possible local extinction of some species in the basin and to assess the effect of water loss on the endemic species associated with water bodies (García-Vázquez et al. 2010, 2018b. In other arid habitats of the CD, amphibians and reptiles have shown great annual variations (Davis and LaDuc 2018). In this regard, future faunistic or ecological research on these communities should focus its sampling effort on the endemic species associated with aquatic habits. ...
In this chapter we review some of the main characteristics of the Cuatro Ciénegas Basin, touching upon the physical setting, its geologic history, and animal diversity. We go through all the chapters of the volume summarizing the different interpretations of the authors regarding the origin and structuring of the particular communities. We present a list of animal taxa that have been recorded from the area, noting the number of species and supraspecific taxa that are endemic to the CCB: a total of 885 species are reported for the CCB in this volume, of which 38 (4.3%) are endemic. A brief discussion on the future challenges that the CCB faces is presented.
... There are 12 species that are likely to occur in the CCB that were not observed (1 toad, 1 lizard, and 10 snakes). All of these 12 species that were undetected in this study are present in the region and were expected to be observed at the sites but may not have been encountered due to unfavorable environmental conditions, their cryptic nature, or low abundances making detection difficult (Davis and LaDuc 2018). Considering isolated records, this inventory may have documented 88% of the reptile and amphibian species in the CCB. ...
... Recently, Cruz-Elizalde et al. (2014 reported 45 reptiles and 9 amphibians from the Real de Guadalcázar State Reserve, San Luis Potosí, Mexico. Finally, Davis and LaDuc (2018) found 50 species of herpetofauna in C.E. Miller Ranch and the Sierra Vieja in Texas. The amphibians and reptiles from the CCB represent 42% of all herpetofauna reported for the CD (Morafka 1977). ...
... Long-term studies must be conducted in order to confirm the possible local extinction of some species in the basin and to assess the effect of water loss on the endemic species associated with water bodies (García-Vázquez et al. 2010, 2018b. In other arid habitats of the CD, amphibians and reptiles have shown great annual variations (Davis and LaDuc 2018). In this regard, future faunistic or ecological research on these communities should focus its sampling effort on the endemic species associated with aquatic habits. ...
We gathered and analyzed the current knowledge of the amphibians and reptiles of the Cuatro Ciénegas Basin (CCB), including their biogeographical affinities and the historical and ecological importance of the basin to the diversity of these groups in the Chihuahuan Desert (CD). The CCB has a characteristic topography with alternating highlands and basins. The degree of endemicity of the fauna within the CCB is one of the highest in North America. Morphological and genetic differentiation of these taxa suggests a quick speciation due to the isolation of the basin. Further, the restricted distribution within the CCB of some taxa indicates a high ecological dependence on aquatic microhabitats. The herpetofauna present in the CCB is composed of seven amphibian and 46 reptile species, from which 2 amphibians and 9 reptiles are endemic to the basin. Bufonidae and Colubridae are the most diverse families, while Lithobates berlandieri and Aspidoscelis inornata cienegae are the most abundant species of Amphibia and Reptilia, respectively. Twelve of the previously reported species had not been recorded recently, but we recorded five species for the first time in the CCB. Most of the species are distinctive of the CD; however, the endemic species are more closely related with taxa of the Tamaulipan province, Edwards Plateau, and the Sierra Madre Oriental province.
... leopard frog occur in several areas of North America, including expanding populations in Arizona, California and Utah (USA: Clarkson and Rorabaugh 1989;Platz et al. 1990;Rorabaugh et al. 2002;Brennan and Holycross 2006;Stebbins and McGinnis 2012) and well-established populations in river drainages from Baja California and Sonora (México: Rorabaugh 2008;Kraus 2009). The distribution of L. berlandieri in Texas spans from El Paso to Dallas and south to Brownsville (type locality; see Frost 2018), where it can be found in a range of habitats from deserts to woodlands in association with generally clear waterways, including rivers, springs and canals, but also temporary tanks (Axtell 1959;Jung et al. 2002;Santos-Barrera et al. 2010;Tipton et al. 2012;Dixon 2013;Davis and LaDuc 2018). Depending upon habitat availability, presence of sympatric species and vertebrate predators, the Rio Grande leopard frog breeds in both streams and ponds (Rorabaugh 2005;Dodd 2013). ...
We ascertained various life-history traits from an examination of 310 museum specimens of the Rio Grande leopard frog (Lithobates berlandieri) collected during 1907–2016 from Texas, USA. Lithobates berlandieri was captured during every month of the year except November, and adults were most frequently encountered during January–September, with a distinct peak in May. Mean body size of adult males (69.5 mm) was smaller than that of adult females (77.5 mm), and adult body sizes tended to be smaller at higher latitudes, a trend that was more pronounced in males. Females were gravid during January–September, and most gravid females were captured from late winter to early summer. Gonadal enlargement in males was generally high throughout January–September with no detectable seasonal increase. Feeding became widespread in both sexes during May–June shortly after a spring breeding bout. Spent females (ovarian stage 1) were common in July and lipid deposition increased in June/July, signalling oogenesis for breeding in the fall. From 15 gravid females, we estimated a mean clutch size of 3107 eggs which was correlated with female body size, yet egg diameter was not related to clutch or body size. Age to metamorphosis was likely 2–4 months depending upon whether eggs were laid in the winter/spring or late fall. If metamorphosis occurred in May/June, the minimum size at sexual maturity could have been reached in 7–8 months for adult males (50.1 mm) and in 9–10 months for adult females (57.2 mm). Mean adult body sizes, however, may have taken 14 to 17 months to reach. A synthesis across Texas populations suggests that the breeding season extends almost continuously from the fall through the winter and spring until mid-summer and is interrupted by extreme temperatures in the winter and summer.
... Introduced populations of the Rio Grande leopard frog occur in several areas of North America, including expanding populations in Arizona, California, and Utah (USA: Clarkson and Rorabaugh 1989;Platz et al. 1990;Rorabaugh et al. 2002;Brennan and Holycross 2006;Stebbins and McGinnis 2012) and well-established populations in river drainages from Baja California and Sonora (México : Rorabaugh 2008;Kraus 2009). The distribution of L. berlandieri in Texas spans from El Paso to Dallas and south to Brownsville (type locality [see Frost 2018]), where it can be found in a range of habitats from deserts to woodlands in association with generally clear waterways, including rivers, springs, and canals, but also temporary tanks (Axtell 1959;Jung et al. 2002;Santos-Barrera et al. 2010;Tipton et al. 2012;Dixon 2013;Davis and LaDuc 2018). Depending upon habitat availability, presence of sympatric species and vertebrate predators, the Rio Grande leopard frog breeds in both streams and ponds (Rorabaugh 2005;Dodd 2013). ...
We ascertained various life-history traits from an examination of 310 museum specimens of the Rio Grande leopard frog (Lithobates berlandieri Baird, 1859) collected during 1907-2016 from Texas, USA. Lithobates berlandieri was captured during every month of the year except November, and adults were most frequently encountered during January-September with a distinct peak in May. Mean body size of adult males (69.5 mm) was smaller than that of adult females (77.5 mm), and both sexes were larger in mean body sizes than those of New Mexico populations (M = 64.4 mm; F = 73.5 mm). Females were gravid during January-September, and most gravid females were captured from late-winter to early-summer. Gonadal enlargement in males was generally high throughout January-September with no detectable seasonal increase. Feeding became widespread in both sexes during May-June shortly after a spring breeding bout. Spent females were common in July and lipid deposition increased in June/July, signaling oogenesis for breeding in the fall. From 15 gravid females, we estimated a mean clutch size of 3,107 eggs which was correlated with female body size, yet egg diameter was not related to clutch or body size. Age to metamorphosis was likely 2 to 4 months depending upon whether eggs were laid in the winter/spring or late fall. If metamorphosis occurred in May/June, the minimum size at sexual maturity in adult males (50.1 mm) could have been reached in 3-4 months and in 6-7 months for adult females (57.2 mm). Mean adult body sizes, however, may have taken 12 to 17 months to reach. A synthesis across Texas populations suggests that the breeding season extends almost continuously from the fall through the winter and spring until mid-summer and is interrupted by winter and summer peaks in seasonal temperatures.
We present new information about the Late Pleistocene Shasta ground sloth (Nothrotheriops shastensis). Spirit Eye Cave in the Sierra Vieja along the Rio Grande provides the newest evidence that the Shasta ground sloth inhabited further south in the mountains of the southwestern Trans-Pecos, Texas, than has been previously documented. The cave is one of only twelve known Nothrotheriops dung localities. During excavation of the cave, packrat middens and sloth dung were discovered. Two areas within the cave provide radiocarbon dated ground sloth dung and packrat midden macrobotanical remains which permit the reconstruction of the sloth diet and local biotic habitat at 30,800 and 12,900 calibrated YBP. The local community at 30,800 calibrated years ago was a pinyon-juniper woodland with yucca, sandpaper bush, globemallow, cactus, and barberry in the understory based on the packrat midden from the cave. The dung contents indicate that the diet of the sloth included C3 and C4 grasses along with Agave. Data for the local vegetation community and sloth diet from 12,900 years ago indicate that during this late glacial time, the region was still a pinyon-juniper woodland but also contained Celtis, Quercus, and Larrea, among other taxa.
