Elisa Cabrera-Guzmán

The ringed salamander (Ambystoma annulatum) is endemic to the Ouachita Mountains and Ozark Plateau of Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma in the United States. There are various records and studies on the habits and ecology of this species in Arkansas and Missouri, but not in Oklahoma. Consequently, this charismatic amphibian species cannot be properl...

Comparative phylogenetic studies of adaptation are uncommon in biomechanics and physiology. Such studies require data collection from many species, a challenge when this is experimentally intensive. Moreover, researchers struggle to employ the most biologically appropriate phylogenetic tools for identifying adaptive evolution. Here, we detail an es...

We present a taxonomic, spatial, and thematic overview of the current state of knowledge on helminth parasites of Mexican amphibians. Sixty-six host species have been studied so far, representing 17.5% of the amphibian species distributed in Mexico. A total of 139 nominal species of helminths – 68 platyhelminths, 62 nematodes, three acanthocephalan...

Diet has major effects on development, growth, health, and performance of animals. Photosynthetic pigments, in particular, are key components of the diet of many organisms that can play important roles in their development and performance. Compared to other taxa, we know relatively little about how these pigments impact amphibian larval development...

Invasive species are one of the main causes of amphibian declines worldwide, often through direct predation. Even species or life stages that may not be prone to predation by invasive animals can be affected through alterations of their reproductive behaviour and/or performance. This aspect is less commonly investigated, and may be important for un...

Las lagartijas del género Anolis son de gran importancia ecológica en los bosques tropicales de América y son un excelente grupo modelo para el estudio de los efectos de la fragmentación del hábitat sobre sus poblaciones. Anolis uniformis es la especie de lagartija más común en el bosque tropical perennifolio de la región de Los Tuxtlas. Su alta ab...

Invasive fish have a high disruptive potential in aquatic ecosystems, in which amphibians may be highly impacted due to intense competition and/or predation on their eggs and larvae. Most studies have focused on the effect of large invasive fishes such as salmonids, whereas the effect of smaller fish on amphibians has been seldom investigated. We e...

The successful spread of invasive Cane Toads (Rhinella marina) across tropical Australia has been attributed to a lack of biotic resistance, based upon the inability of most anuran-eating vertebrate predators to tolerate the powerful chemical defenses of the toads. However, despite their high species richness, invertebrates have been much less stud...

We collected 21 individuals of the shovel-headed treefrog (Diaglena spatulata), a Mexican endemic species, from the states of Colima and Jalisco. Within this sample we documented the presence of the following parasites and commensals: a cestode (plerocercoid) of the order Proteocephalidea; adult nematodes of Aplectana, Cosmocercella diaglenae, Para...

The anole lizards represent a conspicuous group of vertebrates due to their high species number and abundance in different habitats. Despite the high richness of anoles in Mexico (48 species), to date only a few studies have been performed on their ecology. Because different groups of parasites can provide ecological information on their hosts, we...

The success of an invasive species can be reduced by biotic resistance from the native fauna. For example, an invader that is eaten by native predators is less likely to thrive than one that is invulnerable. The ability of invasive cane toads (Rhinella marina) to spread through Australia has been attributed to the toad’s potent defensive chemicals...

The cane toad (Rhinella marina) is one of the most successful invasive species worldwide, and has caused significant negative impacts on Australian fauna. Experimental work in the laboratory and in mesocosms has shown that tadpoles of native frogs can affect survival, size at metamorphosis and duration of larval period of cane toad tadpoles. To tes...

Cane toads ( R hinella marina ) have wrought considerable ecological damage during their invasion of tropical A ustralia, spurring the search for novel ways to reduce toad numbers. Previous laboratory and field studies have shown that the tadpoles of native frogs, which often co‐occur with toad tadpoles in temporary waterbodies, compete with the in...

Many invasive species exploit the disturbed habitats created by human activities. Understanding the effects of habitat disturbance on invasion success, and how disturbance interacts with other factors (such as biotic resistance to the invaders from the native fauna) may suggest new ways to reduce invader viability. In tropical Australia, commercial...

Body size at metamorphosis is a key trait in species (such as many anurans) with biphasic life-histories. Experimental studies have shown that metamorph size is highly plastic, depending upon larval density and environmental conditions (e.g. temperature, food supply, water quality, chemical cues from conspecifics, predators and competitors). To tes...

Information on animal communities inhabiting Neotropical fragmented landscapes is important for developing conservation strategies. The structure of amphibian and reptile communities in six tropical rainforest fragments (<20 ha) and two reference areas in continuous forest at Los Tuxtlas, Mexico was studied. A total of 3,481 individuals of 51 speci...

Attempts to manipulate species abundances can have unforeseen consequences. Our studies suggest that community-group efforts to cull cane toads (Rhinella marina) invading Australia may interfere with the toad’s local enemies. Abundance of the toad parasite Rhabdias pseudosphaerocephala and the ant Iridomyrmex reburrus (a toad predator) may decrease...

An invasive species is less likely to flourish if it is vulnerable to the predators it encounters in its newly-colonised range. The success of cane toads (Rhinella marina) in invading Australia has been attributed to the toads’ powerful chemical defences, which render this toxic invader invulnerable to most vertebrate predators. However, invertebra...

The foraging sites selected by an ambush forager can strongly affect its feeding opportunities. Foraging cane toads (Rhinella marina) typically select open areas, often under artificial lights that attract insects. We conducted experimental trials in the field, using rubber mats placed under lights, to explore the influence of substrate color and r...

1. Native to the Americas, cane toads Bufo marinus are an invasive species causing substantial ecological impacts in Australia. We need ways to control invasive species such as cane toads without collateral damage to native fauna. 2. We explored the feasibility of suppressing survival and growth of cane toad tadpoles via competition with the tadpol...

The use of nocturnal perches by the lizard Anolis uniformis is described. Bimonthly surveys were made throughout a year in small fragments and continuous tropical rainforest areas at Los Tuxtlas, Mexico. Twenty three juvenile individuals and 7 adults were recorded sleeping during the sampling time (18:00 – 23:00 h.). All individuals were found on l...

The use of nocturnal perches by the lizard Anolis uniformis is described. Bimonthly surveys were made throughout a year in small fragments and continuous tropical rainforest areas at Los Tuxtlas, Mexico. Twenty three juvenile individuals and 7 adults were recorded sleeping during the sampling time (18:00 - 23:00 h.). All individuals were found on l...

The helminth fauna inhabiting Lithobates sp. Colima from Ticuizitán, Colima, Mexico, comprises 10 species: 4 digeneans ( Clinostomum sp., Glypthelmins quieta , Haematoloechus sp., and Langeronia macrocirra ), 5 nematodes ( Aplectana itzocanensis , Cosmocerca podicipinus , Foleyellides striatus , Oswaldocruzia subauricularis , and Rhabdias sp.), and...

The helminthological record of Rana cf. forreri in Acapulco municipality, Guerrero state, Mexico, consists of 19 taxa: 5 digeneans—Catadiscus rodriguezi, Haematoloechus coloradensis, metacercariae of Diplostomidae gen. sp., Mesostephanus sp., and Apharyngostrigea sp.; 2 cestodes—Cylindrotaenia americana and the plerocercoid of Diphyllobothriidae ge...