Record Details

Morales-Mávil, Jorge Eufrates;Bello-Sánchez, E Ahmed;Corona-López, Carlos R
Distribution and Natural History of the Campeche Spiny-Tailed Iguanas (Ctenosaura alfredschmidti)
Iguanas: Biology, Systematics, and Conservation
2016
Book Section
John B Iverson, Tandora D Grant, Charles R Knapp and Stesha A Pasachnik
11
Monograph 6
168-176
Herpetological Conservation and Biology
Brachylophus vitiensis;Ctenosaura acanthura;Ctenosaura alfredschmidti;Ctenosaura bakeri;Ctenosaura clarki;Ctenosaura conspicuosa;Ctenosaura defensor;Ctenosaura hemilopha;Ctenosaura macrolopha;Ctenosaura melanosterna;Ctenosaura nolascensis;Ctenosaura oaxacana;Ctenosaura oedirhina;Ctenosaura palearis;Ctenosaura pectinata;Ctenosaura quinquecarinata;Ctenosaura similis;Cyclura cornuta;Cyclura rileyi;Iguana iguana
México has one of the greatest reptile diversities of any country in the world, with greater than 50% of species being endemic. Here we present information on the distribution and natural history of the Campeche Spiny-tailed Iguanas, Ctenosaura alfredschmidti, along a 70 km transect in southern Campeche, México. We observed 33 and captured 20 (16 adults and four juveniles) of those individuals for use in our analyses. Iguanas were captured primarily from Haematoxylum sp. trees at heights between 0.5 and 6.0 m. The sex ratio in this area was 1 M:2.2 F. There was no significant difference in snout-vent length between males and females. However, males were significantly heavier, had significantly longer tibias, and larger heads than females. We observed seven to ten femoral pores on each hind leg of adult C. alfredschmidti, with those of the males being more conspicuous than those of the females. The majority of iguanas were observed in lowland deciduous forest habitat, at elevations between 140 and 282 m. Fragmentation and habitat modification was evident across the study area. We estimated approximately 5.1 Ctenosaura alfredschmidti individuals/ha in a 1.68 km2 area across the transect, although abundance is likely under-represented due to the secretive nature of this species. The Biosphere Reserve of Calakmul may serve as a conservation management area for the species. We recommend the status of this species be updated and be protected under Mexican law.
English