Mirna G. García-Castillo

• PhD
• Professor at National Autonomous University of Mexico

We report Pseudoeurycea jaguar in the state of Puebla and the first record of a scorpion preying on a salamander

The number of species of the subgenus Syrrhophus, genus Eleutherodactylus has increased rapidly in the last eight years, due to recent taxonomic studies. This subgenus of direct-developing frogs is well represented in Mexico, which harbors more than 90% of the species richness reported for the subgenus. In this study, we describe one new species, E...

Reptiles are animals that depend on external environmental conditions to regulate their body temperature. The temperature is a key factor for the embryonic development in viviparous reptiles and is an important element in biological and ecological processes, such as metabolism, growth, social interactions, reproduction, abundance, and distribution....

The reproductive and physiological amphibians’ needs are strongly influenced by rainfall and water availability. Temperature is another important factor in amphibian survival. Amphibians, as well as reptiles, are ectothermic. Amphibians are dependent on external heat sources for thermoregulation, processes of distribution underlying speciation, dis...

Biofluorescence is the fluorescent glow in blue, green, and red colors that organisms emit when exposed to blue or ultra-violet light. This phenomenon has been documented in different animal groups, the most recent finding being in amphibians. The function of biofluorescence in amphibians is still unknown, although it is hypothesized that it may be...

The skin microbiome in amphibians has gained a lot of attention as some of its members play a protective role against pathogens such as the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). The composition of skin bacterial communities has been suggested as one of the factors explaining differences in susceptibility to Bd among amphibian species and popu...

Symbiotic bacterial communities are crucial to combating infections and contribute to host health. The amphibian skin microbiome plays an important role in protecting their hosts against pathogens such as Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), one of the causative agents of chytridiomycosis, which is responsible for dramatic amphibian population decl...

Emergent infectious disease caused by the fungal pathogens Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis ( Bd ) and Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans ( Bsal ) represents one of the major causes of biodiversity loss in amphibians. While Bd has affected amphibians worldwide, Bsal remains restricted to Asia and Europe, but also could be a major threat for salamander...

The genus Chiropterotriton is endemic to Mexico with a geographical distribution along the Sierra Madre Oriental, the Trans Mexican Volcanic Belt and the Sierra de Juárez. The recent use of molecular tools has shown that Mexico’s amphibian diversity is highly underestimated, including a large number of cryptic, unnamed species. Chiropterotriton has...

The lungless salamanders of the tribe Bolitoglossini show notable diversification in the Neotropics, and through the use of molecular tools and/or new discoveries, the total number of species continues to increase. Mexico is home to a great number of bolitoglossines primarily distributed along the eastern, central, and southern mountain ranges wher...

Chiropterotriton is a relatively small genus that comprises 15 species with great morphological and ecological diversity. In previous studies, molecular data provided evidence for a considerable number of species that remain undescribed. In this study, we describe one new species, Chiropterotriton chico sp. nov. based on molecular and morphological...

Oaxaca has the highest diversity of amphibians and reptiles of all the states in Mexico. Cerro Piedra Larga is an isolated mountain located in the southeast region of Oaxaca; this massif is covered by mixed temperate and cloud forest and surrounded by drier lowlands. A previous study reported a high diversity of vertebrate fauna on the massif, with...