Raciel Cruz-Elizalde

Autonomous University of Queretaro · Laboratorio de Ecología y Diversidad Faunística, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales

The goal of this study is to describe patterns of reproductive activity and associated characteristics in a lizard community from an arid environment in the southern Chihuahuan Desert region of Mexico. Results of this study showed variation in snout-vent length (SVL) in adults female and male among 18 species. A similar pattern occurred in body mas...

Sexual dimorphism is a widespread feature in the Animal Kingdom. In lizards of the Sceloporus grammicus complex, studies of sexual dimorphism that analyze the allometric trajectories of body traits remain unexplored. Here we investigate sexual dimorphism in key phenotypic traits, including body size (snout-vent length, SVL) as well as head length (...

Populations and chromosomal races of a species often show variation in life-history characteristics due to phylogeny and environmental factors. We analysed variation in snout-vent length (SVL) and reproductive variables, such as minimum SVL at sexual maturity, litter size and embryo volume in females of the Sceloporus grammicus lizard complex, whic...

Taxonomic and functional diversity metrics have been used together to describe functional patterns through species richness in a given area or region. Many scientists have shown that these two metrics can be positively correlated; nevertheless, other studies have found the opposite. In either case, the usefulness of both metrics has helped to devel...

Mexico contains a large number of amphibian and reptile species, and the states in the southeastern part of the country are the richest and most diverse. Although the study of species richness within Mexico’s individual states has been increasing over the last two decades, herpetofaunal species lists for several states in the central region are inc...

Lizard species of wide distribution can show differences in morphology and many other characteristics, in particular in the scutelation. In this study, we analyzed the variation of 22 meristic characters between sexes and among populations of Sce-loporus variabilis from the state of Hidalgo in central Mexico. The variables such as dorsal scales, sc...

Presentamos los datos de un espécimen que representa un nuevo registro municipal y extensión del rango de Abronia taeniata para Pinal de Amoles, Querétaro, México. También proporcionamos una descripción de la vegetación en el sitio y comentarios sobre la resiliencia de la especie ante la perturbación de su hábitat. Finalmente, sugerimos la probable...

In many amphibians, males have sexually dimorphic breeding glands, which can produce proteinaceous or volatile pheromones, used for intraspecific communication. In this study we analyse two types of glands in the Mexican treefrog Ptychohyla macrotympanum (Hylidae)—large ventrolateral glands and small nuptial pads on their fingers—using histology, w...

The Sierra Gorda de Querétaro Biosphere Reserve (SGQBR) is one of the largest natural protected areas in Mexico; however, little is known about the richness and diversity of amphibians and reptiles. We present an updated list of species of both groups, the conservation status of these species, as well as an analysis of their diversity with respect...

Caudal autotomy is a behaviour in lizards that favours survival but brings with it some associated costs, mainly loss of energy, which is related to the position of the breaking point. Moreover, the frequency of tail loss can vary at different levels, between sexes, populations, seasons and at an intra‐ and inter‐population level. In this study, we...

Currently, the feeding ecology of the xantusid lizard Lepidophyma gaigeae is virtually unknown. In this study, we identified the prey of the species from specimens deposited in collections. Our data shows that the diet of this species consists exclusively of insects comprising five orders. Additionally, we report the first case of keratophagy for b...

The growth in our knowledge of the diversity of the herpetofauna of Mexico has occurred over the period of approximately 445 years from the work of Francisco Hernán-dez to that of a broad multinational array of present-day herpetologists. The work of this huge group of people has established Mexico as one of the most significant centers of herpetof...

Museum voucher numbers of the Sceloporus grammicus complex

El bosque mesófilo de montaña (BMM) es catalogado como un ambiente altamente rico en especies de flora y fauna, y con un alto número de endemismos; del mismo modo, ha sido considerado como uno de los ecosistemas más amenazados. En el presente trabajo se hace una reseña de las principales problemáticas que enfrenta este tipo de vegetación así como l...

We explore the feeding habits of two populations of the lizard Aspidoscelis lineattissima from two localities (Cocinas = island and Xametla = mainland) under the hypothesis that in an insular environment, there is less selection of food, because it is a relatively comfortable environment to forage due to the presence of few competitors and predator...

El bosque mesófilo de montaña (BMM) es un ambiente altamente rico en especies de flora y fauna en México. La notable diversidad de especies resalta aún más cuando se analizan también los endemismos en este ambiente. En el presente estudio se describe la importancia de endemismos de vertebrados terrestres en México, considerando los grupos de anfibi...

Las lagartijas arborícolas del género Abronia se consideran un grupo de reptiles muy vulnerables a la extracción del medio silvestre para el mercado de mascotas. En el presente estudio se evaluó el tráfico de especies del género Abronia que se distribuyen en México. También se identificaron aquellas especies del género que son más ofertadas en el c...

The herpetofauna of the state of Querétaro, Mexico, consists of 129 species, including 27 anurans, seven caudates, 92 squamates, and three turtles. Regarding the distribution of the herpetofaunal species among the three recognized physiographic regions in the state, the total number of species ranges from 43 in the Transmexican Volcanic Belt to 102...

The niche comprises the set of abiotic and biotic environmental conditions in which a species can live. Consequently, those species that present broader niches are expected to be more tolerant to changes in climatic variations than those species that present reduced niches. In this study, we estimate the amplitude of the climatic niche of fourteen...

The cloud forest shows a great diversity of groups and has been considered as centers of high richness and endemism, throughout Asia, Africa and mainly in the Americas. To determine the specific and phylogenetic richness as well as the association in the composition of species of amphibians and reptiles in this environment in Mexico, using database...

Anthropized environments are associated with loss of biodiversity and have been listed as sites with low species richness for various biological groups. In this study, anuran amphibian species richness, community composition, and taxonomic and functional richness are analyzed for a highly anthropized region of central Mexico, the state of Querétaro...

We attempted to identify the factors influencing size and shape dimorphism between sexes, as well as among populations and species in the Sceloporus scalaris group (Sceloporus aeneus, S. scalaris, S. bicanthalis and S. subniger). Our analysis focused on five morphological characteristics: snout–vent length, head length, head width, forearm length a...

Resumen.- Sceloporus variabilis es una especie de amplia distribución y ocupa distintos tipos de hábitats. En este trabajo se reportan nuevos datos sobre el consumo de lagartijas, tanto de bosque tropical como de bosque mesófilo, y confirma la ocurrencia del canibalismo. Palabras clave.- Dieta, presas, Scincidae, contenido estomacal. Abstract.- Sce...

Background Efficient transfer of chemical signals is important for successful mating in many animal species. Multiple evolutionary lineages of animals evolved direct sex pheromone transmission during traumatic mating—the wounding of the partner with specialized devices—which helps to avoid signal loss to the environment. Although such direct transm...

La generación de conocimiento y productos académicos es el reflejo de la calidad de los investigadores e instituciones. Sin embargo, debido al alto número de doctores egresados de los programas de doctorado y, a la limitada disponibilidad de plazas académicas en instituciones públicas y privadas, además de la falta de condiciones adecuadas para la...

The herpetofauna of the state of Veracruz, Mexico, currently consists of 359 species, including 76 anurans, 45 caudates, one caecilian, one crocodylian, 217 squamates, and 19 turtles. The distribution of the herpetofaunal species are catalogued here among the four recognized physiographic regions in the state. The total number of species ranges fro...

A review on the ecological and physiological hypotheses in the transition from oviparity to viviparity is presented using lizards (Squamata) as a model group. In addition, examples of lizard species are included that test the retention of eggs in the oviduct during prolonged embryonic development in high latitudes and temperate mountain environment...

The body size and reproductive characteristics in populations of the same species is influenced by environmental and ecological factors. In this study, we analysed the relationship of environmental factors, morphological characters (body size and mass) and reproductive traits (clutch size) of females from 13 populations of Sceloporus variabilis. Re...

Morphology and resource use have a significant influence on lizard population dynamics. In this study, sexual dimorphism and feeding ecology were assessed in a population of Sceloporus aeneus from central Mexico. Sexual dimorphism was recorded, with males being larger than females in several morphological characteristics, such as jaw width, femur l...

Morphological adaptations of individuals are directly (or indirectly) determined by the environment. Depending on sex, these adaptations may vary in different ways, given that different selective forces may be operating on organisms. Here, we evaluate intraspecific morphological variation (size and shape) in two populations of Sceloporus grammicus...

Sexual dimorphism in lizards is determined by ecological and environmental factors. Broadly distributed species may show variation in patterns of sexual dimorphism toward either sex, as well as exhibiting variation in morphological dimensions. In the present study, sexual dimorphism in size and shape attributes was evaluated in three populations of...

In the present study, we analyse sexual dimorphism in size and shape of morphological attributes in a population of Abronia taeniata in central Mexico. The variables analysed were snout–vent length (SVL), head length (HL), head width (HW), head height (HH), tibia length (TL) and femur length (FL). In the size attributes, males and females had simil...

The herpetofauna of Hidalgo, Mexico, is comprised of 203 species, including 42 anurans, 17 caudates, one crocodylian, 137 squamates, and six turtles. Here, the distribution of the herpetofaunal species are catalogued among the four recognized physiographic regions. The total number of species varies from 77 in the Mexican Plateau to 166 in the Sier...

We analyzed sexual dimorphism and reproductive characteristics (minimum size at sexual maturity, clutch size, and reproductive period) of females and males of Sceloporus cozumelae, a species endemic to the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, and which belongs to the Sceloporus variabilis group. Sexual dimorphism was recorded, with the males being larger in...

Amphibian species of the family Hylidae exhibit a high degree of endemism in Mexico. To better understand ongoing declines of many amphibian populations, especially for endemic species that are particularly vulnerable to extinction, information on diverse aspects of their biological makeup is required, including their ecology. This study provides a...

In this study, sexual dimorphism, reproductive cycles, litter size and offspring size of a population of the little‐known species Sceloporus palaciosi in central Mexico were analysed. Significant male‐biased sexual size dimorphism was recorded in snout–vent length (SVL), head length, head width, forearm length and tibia length. Both sexes showed as...

We analysed size (snout-vent length, SVL), body mass, reproductive cycles, and reproductive characteristics (litter size) of a population of the viviparous lizard Abronia taeniata in the central part of the Sierra Madre Oriental in Mexico. Sizes and weights were similar between sexes. The males reach sexual maturity (SVL = 74.6 mm) at a smaller siz...

The diet of lizards is associated with environmental variables, food availability, and morphological traits. This study evaluated the diet as well as sexual dimorphism in head structures and its relationship with prey volumes in males and females of two populations (Las Lagunas and El Oro, San Luis Potos´ı, Mexico) of the polymorphic Minor Lizard,...

Food resources have a significant effect on many characteristics of living organisms, such as growth, reproduction, and tissue repair, among others. These resources, however, can vary among localities and seasons of the year. In this study, we examined the feeding ecology of the lizard Sceloporus minor from two localities (La Manzana and El Enzuela...

Amphibian communities in arid and semi-arid environments are highly dependent on environmental factors for breeding activities. A large number of species can also show different reproductive patterns and variation between sexes. In this study, the morphology and reproductive patterns in an assemblage of seven anuran amphibians from the southeast re...

Juvenile growth rates are thought to be restricted by available food resources. In animals that grow throughout the year, such as tropical lizards, growth is therefore predicted to be faster during the rainy season. We test this prediction using a population of Anolis nebulosusby describing the growth trajectories of both sexes using nonlinear regr...

The study of demographic and life history aspects of an organism provides valuable information for its conservation. Here, we analyze the phenology of the Mountain Treefrog Hyla eximia (= Dryophytes eximius ) in a temperate environment of the Mexican Plateau. Females were larger in snout-vent length and body mass than males. The peak period of acti...

The degree of species loss was assessed by comparing the structure of communities and species diversity of reptiles from three different environments, one natural (tropical evergreen forest [TEF]) and two modified (shaded coffee plantation [SCP] and grazing area [GA]) from the mid portion of the Sierra Madre Oriental, Mexico. The results showed 29...

La perturbación del ambiente por el factor antrópico promueve una disminución significativa sobre la riqueza de especies y densidad de las poblaciones en diversos grupos biológicos, entre los que destacan los anfibios y reptiles. En la región centro de México, el Valle de México (VM), se caracteriza por presentar una composición particular de comun...

Variation in life history traits can arise from both genetic and environmental factors. We investigated reproductive activity and variation in some life history traits among four lizard species [Sceloporus bicanthalis, S. subniger (viviparous), S. aeneus and S. scalaris (oviparous)] from different populations of the S. scalaris group. We consider t...

Natural Protected Areas (NPAs) includes important species richness, and it is assumed that these are the best areas for biodiversity conservation. There are certain doubts, however, about the effectiveness of the NPAs in developing countries, where economic resources for conservation are scarce and NPAs are not monitored and managed efficiently. In...

Local and geographic variation in several life history characteristics (body size at sexual maturity, clutch size, clutch frequency, egg volume, offspring size) were analysed in the arboreal lizard Urosaurus bicarinatus in three populations (Chamela, Jalisco; Jojutla, Morelos; and Paso del Chivo, Michoacan) from two different environments (tropical...

It is well known that geographic variation in morphological traits occurs among populations of lizard species. In this study, we analysed body size and sexual size dimorphism among four populations of the lizard Sceloporus variabilis from contrasting elevations. Males from all populations were larger than females in snout-vent length, head length,...

The genus Crotalus is well represented in all biogeographic provinces including most major vegetation communities and climatic zones described for Mexico. For this reason, we use the assumptions of panbiogeography with the objective to establish a biogeographic framework for the 26 species of rattlesnakes native to Mexico. On the basis of 1472 reco...

La riqueza y diversidad de especies de los distintos grupos biológicos que ocurren en un área particular se ven afectadas por actividades antrópicas, entre las que destacan la fragmentación, la contaminación, el cambio de uso de suelo, la sobreexplotación de los recursos, el tráfico y la caza ilegal de especies, así como agentes patógenos, o introd...

The Valley of Mexico has been poorly explored for some biological groups. In this study, we evaluated the richness, similarity, and taxonomic diversity of amphibians and reptiles in eight vegetation types from the Valley of Mexico. Currently, in the Valley of Mexico has been reported 69 species distributed in eight vegetation types. The higher spec...

Previous studies have shown that diet varies among seasons and age classes of lizard species inhabiting contrasting environments. The purpose of our study was to compare feeding habits between seasons (wet and dry), sexes (males and females), and age classes (juvenile and adult) of the arboreal lizard Anolis nebulosus from two different environment...

We studied female reproductive characteristics (clutch size, clutch frequency, egg volume, egg mass, and snout–vent length [SVL] at sexual maturity) in five populations of the Mexican endemic oviparous lizard, Sceloporus aeneus, from the Transmexican Volcanic Belt. Adult females showed a range in SVL of 40–60 mm. Mean clutch size was determined by...

Very little information is documented about variation in sexual size dimorphism between years within populations of a single species, and studies covering related topics are very scarce. We present information on sexual size dimorphism and reproductive traits obtained during the years 1980–1983, in a population of the lizard Sceloporus aeneus from...

Amphibian species composition from arid and semiarid environments is different from that in tropical and temperate environments. Extensive areas of desert occur in the Chihuahuan Desert Region in protected areas, where the diversity of amphibians has not been analyzed. In this study, we analyzed anuran species richness of the protected area Real de...

El crecimiento de áreas urbanas como zonas habitacionales afecta a las poblaciones de especies de flora y fauna. En este trabajo analizamos la diversidad y abundancia de los anfibios y reptiles en dos ambientes con diferente grado de antropización. Las localidades corresponden a Tilcuautla y Carboneras, ubicadas en la periferia de la ciudad de Pach...

Species with wide distribution, generally show variations in life history characteristics, which can be attributed to environmental causes. In this study, we analyzed the reproductive cycle and reproductive characteristics from three populations (Atlapexco, San Pablo Tetlapayac, and Santa Catarina) of the lizard Sceloporus variabilis from central M...

We analyzed the structure and taxonomic diversity of amphibian communities in a forest-fragmented landscape in central Mexico. Our study was undertaken in remnants of native tropical evergreen forest (TEF), shaded coffee plantations (SCP), and pastures (PAS) to assess richness, turnover, and taxonomic diversity of species among these environments....

We record for the first time the recently described snake Geophis turbidus from the state of Hidalgo, Mexico. The species was recorded in cloud and pine forests, and this report extends the distribution of this species approximately 25 km from its previously known occurrence. In this paper, we also report the first description of a juvenile specime...

Reproductive cycle and fat body and liver mass variation were described for male and female Sceloporus siniferus during four years (1978, 1980, 1983, and 1993) from a population from the southern Pacific coast of Oaxaca, Mexico. These lizards exhibited continuous reproduction, and the degree of sexual dimorphism varied between years. Males were lar...