characters consistent with topotypic _H. caprimimus_. Eleven specimens
from the southern edge of the Mexican Plateau all have the flanks darker
than the dorsum, a distinct and continuous dark stripe from the occiput
to the groin, a large dark spot in the inguinal region, and a pair of
dark transverse stripes on the thigh and shank (Pl. 6, Fig. 1). With
the exception of three specimens from Charapendo, all have a
predominantly brown venter with round, cream-colored spots.
Peters (1954:8) referred specimens from Buena Vista and San Salvador to
_Hypopachus oxyrrhinus_. He stated that the specimen (BMNH
1914.1.28.150) from San Salvador had flanks much darker than the dorsum
and a well-defined continuous stripe from the occiput to the groin; this
specimen has the characters of _H. caprimimus_. The specimen (BMNH
1914.1.28.151) from Buena Vista resembles _H. oxyrrhinus_ in some
characters, but it is not like _H. oxyrrhinus ovis_ on the Mexican
Plateau in Michoacan. The specimen has paired transverse stripes on the
hind limbs as does _H. caprimimus_, and is here referred to that
species.
In Michoacan this species has been collected in arid tropical scrub
forest at elevations of 200 to 1800 meters in the northern foothills of
the Sierra de Coalcoman, the Tepalcatepec and Tuxpan valleys, and on the
lower slopes of the Cordillera Volcanica. Calling males have been found
along streams. One specimen from Charapendo was regurgitated by a
_Leptodeira maculata_.
~Hypopachus oxyrrhinus ovis~ Taylor
_Hypopachus ovis_ Taylor, Univ. Kansas Sci. Bull., 26:520,
November 27, 1940.--Tepic, Nayarit, Mexico.
_Hypopachus oxyrrhinus ovis_, Shannon and Humphrey,
Herpetologica, 14:89, July 23, 1958.
Emiliano Zapata; 30 km. NW of Jacona (2); 10 km. NE of
Patzcuaro (2); Tangamandapio (16); 24 km. W of Zamora (16).
Thirty-seven specimens from the Mexican Plateau in northwestern
Michoacan agree well with the diagnosis of _Hypopachus oxyrrhinus ovis_
by Shannon and Humphrey (1958). With the exception of one specimen from
Tangamandapio, all have dark bellies extensively mottled or spotted with
cream-color. Most of the specimens have some form of an irregular,
usually broken, dark line from the occiput to the groin. In eight
specimens there is no line or linear arrangement of spots; instead the
dorsum is spotted or flecked with dark brown. The ground color of the
dorsum and flanks varies from dull reddish brown to grayish brown;
cream-colored spots are evident on the flanks and posterior surfaces of
the thighs in all specimens (Pl. 6, Fig. 2).
In comparison with 14 specimens from Queseria, Colima (UMMZ 80001-2),
individuals from the Mexican Plateau have a darker venter with bolder
markings, and a more mottled dorsum.
In Michoacan this species has been taken between 1500 and 2200 meters on
the Mexican Plateau, where it inhabits mesquite-grassland and cultivated
areas.
~Rana dunni~ Zweifel
_Rana dunni_ Zweifel, Copeia, no. 2:78, July 15, 1957.--Lago
de Patzcuaro, Michoacan, Mexico.
Lago de Patzcuaro (23); Rio de Morelia, near Undameo (8).
Aside from the type series of this species, there are in the Museum of
Zoology at the University of Michigan six specimens taken from "tanks"
at the limnological station at Patzcuaro by Paul S. Martin in 1948, and
eight specimens found in shaded ditches along the Rio de Morelia by
Robert R. Miller on April 4, 1957. The Rio de Morelia flows into Lago de
Cuitzeo; this drainage is separated from Lago de Patzcuaro by a chain of
hills about 2400 meters in elevation. Dr. Richard G. Zweifel has
examined these specimens and has informed me that, although they differ
slightly from typical _Rana dunni_, they are much closer to that species
than to _Rana montezumae_.
~Rana megapoda~ Taylor
_Rana megapoda_ Taylor, Univ. Kansas Sci. Bull., 28:310,
November 12, 1942.--Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico.
La Palma (8).
These specimens (USNM 113998-114005) are from the marshes along the
southeastern shore of Lago de Chapala. Five females have snout-vent
lengths of 124.0-138.1 (131.5), and one male has a snout-vent length of
110.2 mm. Two juveniles have snout-vent lengths of 49.7 and 56.3 mm. The
coloration of the juveniles is more bold than that of the adults. The
body proportions of these specimens agree with those presented by
Zweifel (1957:80).
~Rana montezumae~ Baird
_Rana montezumae_ Baird, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia,
7:61, October 20, 1854.--Mexico City, Distrito Federal,
Mexico.
La Palma; 8 km. NW of Maravatio (10); Sahuayo; Tupataro (7).
This species probably is more abundant and widespread than is indicated
by the few specimens listed above. It has been found only in the
vicinity of permanent water on the Mexican Plateau and the mountains
rising from the plateau at elevations of 1500 to 2000 meters. Its
apparent absence from Lago de Patzcuaro cannot be explained, unless
_Rana dunni_ replaces it there.
~Rana pipiens~ Schreber
_Rana pipiens_ Schreber, Der Naturforscher, Halle, 18:185,
1782.--Raccoon, Gloucester County, New Jersey.
Aguililla (2); Apatzingan (13); Arteaga; Axolotl (16);
Camachines (2); Capirio; Cascada Tzararacua (3); Cerro San
Andres (6); Charapendo (4); Ciudad Hidalgo; Coalcoman (17);
Cuitzeo (3); El Sabino (10); Jacona (3); 29 km. NW of Jacona
(8); Jiquilpan; La Orilla (3); La Palma (5); La Playa (4);
Lago de Chapala (3); Lago de Patzcuaro (6); Lombardia; Los
Conejos (67); Los Reyes (7); Macho de Agua; Maravatio;
Morelia (5); Opopeo (3); Patzcuaro (9); 26 km. S of
Patzcuaro (52); Puerto Hondo (3); Rio Duero, 14 km. E of
Zamora (13); Rio Tepalcatepec, 27 km. S of Apatzingan (2);
San Gregorio (38); San Jose de la Cumbre (5); Tangamandapio;
Zacapu; 18 km. W of Zamora (35).
Except on the Pacific lowlands, this species is abundant throughout the
state. It has been collected from sea level to 2800 meters, the greatest
altitudinal range of any amphibian in Michoacan. It has been found
frequently in the Tepalcatepec Valley; it is not a distinctly highland
species in southern Michoacan, as stated by Peters (1954:9). One
specimen from Aguililla (UMMZ 119257) is an albino. In this specimen
there is a faint pattern on the hind limbs; otherwise the entire body is
creamy white; the eyes are pink.
~Rana pustulosa~ Boulenger
_Rana pustulosa_ Boulenger, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 5,
11:343, 1883.--Ventanas, Durango, Mexico.
Arteaga (4); 21 km. S of Arteaga; Cascada Tzararacua (3);
Coalcoman (3); 12 km. ENE of Dos Aguas (3); El Sabino (53);
Los Reyes (3); Tzitzio (4); Uruapan.
Although _Rana pustulosa_ seems to be absent from the Mexican Plateau in
Michoacan, it has been collected at elevations of 850 to 2150 meters on
the slopes of the Cordillera Volcanico and in the Sierra de Coalcoman.
Usually the frogs are found along rocky streams, but at Coalcoman they
were found in a hyacinth-choked old river channel, and at El Sabino, in
irrigation ditches.
In most specimens the dorsum is dark olive-brown; in some it is pale
olive-tan with dense dark brown mottling on the back and dark transverse
bands on the hind limbs.
Thirteen tadpoles (UMMZ 94271) taken from a seepage pool by a stream
near Uruapan closely resemble the description of tadpoles of this
species given by Taylor (1942b).
REPTILIA
Testudines
~Chelonia mydas~ (Linnaeus)
_Testudo mydas_ Linnaeus, Systema naturae, ed. 10:197,
1758.--Type locality restricted to Ascension Island by
Mertens and Mueller (1928:23).
_Chelonia mydas_, Brongniart, Bull. Sci. Soc. Philom., 2:89,
1800.
Beach between Rio Motin and Rio Colotlan (2); Maruata; Playa
Azul (4).
Green sea turtles are abundant along the coast of Michoacan. Laying
females and fresh nests were found on August 6-12, 1950, July 14-16,
1951, and July 8-10, 1955. The general account of sea turtles on the
coast of Michoacan that was given by Peters (1957) is supplemented here
by my field notes on the actions of one female observed on the night of
July 14, 1951, near Maruata by Donald D. Brand and I. Because of a full
moon, visibility was excellent.
In the course of the day several _Chelonia_ were seen in the surf;
shortly after dark the first turtle was observed on the beach. Several
were observed to come out on the beach and crawl nearly to the strand
line, only to return to the sea.
At 10:20 p. m. one turtle was seen about 15 meters from the water. We
watched this turtle from some distance and observed that by 10:26 p. m.
she had moved about ten meters to a bank of sand about two meters high.
Ten minutes later she had climbed the bank and disappeared over the top
into the brush. We moved closer and remained hidden below the bank.
Although we could not see the turtle, we could hear her movements.
Between 10:37 and 10:57 p. m. the turtle dug, often flipping the dry
sand for a distance of about two meters. When this energetic digging
ceased, we moved up the bank to see that she was facing inland and
sitting in a depression about one and one-half meters in diameter and 30
centimeters in depth. She had cleaned out this depression in the past 20
minutes. Between 11:00 and 11:36 p. m. she dug the nest hole by first
scooping sand with one hind flipper and then with the other; when sand
was thrown by one flipper, there was a similar, but weaker, motion by
the other flipper. At 11:36 p. m. she stopped digging. By crawling up
behind the turtle we were able to examine the nest cavity, which
measured 21 centimeters across the top and 38 centimeters deep. The
diameter of the bottom of the hole was estimated to be about 50
centimeters. At 11:40 p. m. she released the first egg; a minute later
she dropped the second. At 11:42 p. m. the third and fourth eggs were
released; these were coherent, as were the fifth and sixth eggs released
at 11:43 p. m. After this, as many as three eggs were dropped at a
time. After laying about 60 eggs, she paused for a minute and then
continued laying. By 11:55 p. m. she had laid 98 eggs; after this, the
process of deposition slowed considerably. She dropped a fragment of an
egg followed by normal eggs. At midnight she deposited a miniature egg
about 20 mm. in diameter. This terminated the deposition. Immediately
she began to cover the nest.
Within ten minutes after the last egg was deposited the nest had been
covered. The turtle first had been seen at 10:20 p. m.; judging from its
speed and its distance from the water, the turtle probably had been on
land for about ten minutes. About 25 minutes were used in crawling from
the water to the nesting site. One hour and 33 minutes were spent at the
nesting site; of this time twenty minutes were taken for egg deposition.
The turtle was not followed back to the water, but if the return trip
took approximately the same amount of time as required to travel from
the ocean to the nesting site, the total elapsed time from departure to
return to the water was about two and one-half hours.
We collected the eggs as they were deposited. There were 106 eggs, each
having a diameter of about 40 mm., plus one small egg and a fragment of
another. The turtle had a carapace about one meter in length.
From our limited observations of sea turtles and their tracks on the
beaches, and from the accounts of these animals by the residents of the
coastal region, great numbers of sea turtles use these relatively
uninhabited beaches for nesting grounds. However, the turtles do not go
unmolested. The natives capture turtles and collect their eggs. Opened
and emptied nests also showed signs of predatory activity on the part of
other mammals. In the vicinity of Playa Azul several turtles were killed
by dogs.
~Kinosternon hirtipes hirtipes~ Wagler
_Cinosternon hirtipes_ Wagler, Naturl. Syst. Amph., p. 37,
1830.--Mexico. Type locality restricted to Mazatlan,
Sinaloa, Mexico, by Smith and Taylor (1950b:25).
_Kinosternon hirtipes hirtipes_, Schmidt, Check list N Amer.
Amph. Rept., ed. 6, p. 89, 1953.
Eight km. W of Ciudad Hidalgo; Jiquilpan; La Palma; Lago de
Camecuaro (4); Lago de Cuitzeo (3); Lago de Patzcuaro (8);
14 km. E of Zamora (4).
One specimen from eight kilometers west of Ciudad Hidalgo (UIMNH 24707)
is from the Rio Tuxpan, a tributary of the Rio Balsas; this is the only
record for the species from the Balsas drainage. All others are from the
lakes or rivers flowing into the lakes on the southern part of the
Mexican Plateau. This species exists in Lago de Patzcuaro to the
apparent exclusion of the abundant and widespread _Kinosternon
integrum_.
~Kinosternon integrum~ LeConte
_Kinosternon integrum_ LeConte, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci.
Philadelphia, 7:183, 1854.--Mexico. Type locality restricted
to Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico, by Smith and Taylor
(1950b:25).
Agua Cerca (3); Aguililla; Arteaga (8); Apatzingan (7);
Barranca de Herradero; Buenavista (20); Capirio (2);
Charapendo (3); Chupio; Coahuayana (2); Coalcoman (169);
Copuyo (4); El Sabino (8); Jacona; Jiquilpan (12); La Orilla
(2); La Playa (2); Lago de Cuitzeo (27); Las Higuertas;
Lombardia (3); Los Reyes (5); Morelia; Ojos de Agua de San
Telmo; San Pedro Naranjestila; Tacicuaro.
Excepting Lago de Patzcuaro, _Kinosternon integrum_ occupies all
permanent and temporary ponds, lakes, and streams below 2200 meters
throughout the state. At Coalcoman the species was in roadside ditches,
small puddles, flooded fields, a hyacinth-choked ox-bow of the Rio
Coalcoman, as well as in the Rio Coalcoman and its tributaries.
Specimens from Arteaga and Barranca de Herradero were found in clear
rocky streams; the one from Las Higuertas was found in a small muddy
pond in pine-oak forest.
On August 26, 1960, James R. Dixon found a copulating pair in a pool at
Capirio. The large series from Coalcoman contains juveniles and adults;
these turtles formed the basis for the study of relative growth of
plastral scutes in this species by Mosimann (1956).
~Geoemyda rubida perixantha~ Mosimann and Rabb
_Geoemyda rubida perixantha_ Mosimann and Rabb, Occ. Pap.
Mus. Zool. Univ. Michigan, 548:1, November 9, 1953.--Eight
kilometers south of Tecoman, Colima, Mexico.
Apatzingan (2); Coahuayana; La Placita; Punta San Juan de
Lima.
These specimens have been discussed in detail by Mosimann and Rabb
(1953). All are from the arid tropical scrub forest; those from the
coastal regions were collected at elevations of less than 40 meters, and
those from the Tepalcatepec Valley were collected at an elevation of 335
meters.
Crocodilia
~Crocodylus acutus acutus~ Cuvier
_Crocodylus acutus_ Cuvier, Ann. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris,
10:55, 1807.--Santo Domingo.
_Crocodylus acutus acutus_, Mueller and Hellmich,
Ibero-Amerik. Stud., 13:128, 1940.
Boca de Apiza (2); Playa Azul (2).
The crocodile or "caiman" is abundant in the brackish lagoons along the
cost of Michoacan; three large adults and several juveniles were
observed at Estero Pichi at Playa Azul; others were seen at Mexiquillo
and Maruata. Residents of the Balsas-Tepalcatepec Basin frequently have
reported "caimanes" in the Rio Balsas and Rio Tepalcatepec, but the
existence of the crocodile in these rivers has not been verified by
specimens.
Sauria
~Phyllodactylus duellmani~ Dixon
_Phyllodactylus duellmani_ Dixon, Southwest Nat., 5:37,
April 15, 1960.--Rancho El Espinal, Michoacan, Mexico.
Fourteen km. SSW of Apatzingan; Capirio; Cafradia (3); El
Espinal (3).
This species is known only from the Tepalcatepec Valley, where it has
been found in open arid situations from 180 to 500 meters. Specimens
were found in the daytime in stumps, dead cacti, and the hollow branches
of the legume, _Apoplanesia paniculata_. In life adults were pale gray
or grayish tan above and creamy white below. A juvenile having a
snout-vent length of 18 mm. had a pale orange tail with gray
cross-bands. In the adults the tail was colored like the body. The
specimen from 14 kilometers south-southwest of Apatzingan (KU 29764) and
those from Cofradia (BMNH 1914.1.28.28-30) were not listed by Dixon
(1960).
~Phyllodactylus homolepidurus~ Smith
_Phyllodactylus homolepidurus_ Smith, Univ. Kansas Sci.
Bull., 22:121, November 15, 1935.--Five miles southwest of
Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico.
El Ticuiz (2); La Placita; Ostula (2); Pomaro; San Pedro
Naranjestila.
These specimens have been referred to _Phyllodactylus homolepidurus_ by
James R. Dixon (_in litt._), who is currently studying the American
members of the genus. Geckos of this species have been found in tropical
semi-deciduous forest in the coastal lowlands to elevations of 500
meters. Most specimens were found beneath the bark of standing dead
trees or stumps. Two individuals from El Ticuiz (UMMZ 115102) in life
were dark gray above with brownish tubercles; the belly was a dusty
cream-color. Apparently this species does not enter the Tepalcatepec
Valley, where _Phyllodactylus lanei_ is abundant.
~Phyllodactylus lanei~ Smith
_Phyllodactylus lanei_ Smith, Univ. Kansas Sci. Bull.,
22:125, November 15, 1935.--Tierra Colorado, Guerrero,
Mexico.
Apatzingan (13); 21 km. S of Arteaga: El Sabino (53); La
Playa; Ostula (2); Rio Marquez, 10 km. S of Lombardia (8);
16 km. N of Tafetan.
This widespread species has been taken at elevations of less than 1100
meters in the Balsas-Tepalcatepec Basin, where it occurs in riparian
situations in the foothills. Specimens have been collected in tropical
semi-deciduous forest at Ostula and in oak forest south of Arteaga; both
of these localities are on the Pacific slopes of the Sierra de
Coalcoman, a region inhabited by _Phyllodactylus homolepidurus_. Both
species have been collected at Ostula.
A juvenile from 21 kilometers south of Arteaga (UMMZ 118933) had
alternating black and white bands on the tail. In life most of the
lizards are dull ashy gray or grayish tan above and white below.
According to Dixon (_in litt._), one specimen from Apatzingan (UMMZ
115102) resembles _Phyllodactylus magnus_ in scutellation, but it lacks
the distinctive yellow venter of that species.
Apparently _Phyllodactylus lanei_ is restricted to rather mesic
environments in the Balsas-Tepalcatepec Valley and surrounding
foothills; in the more open arid environments on the floor of the valley
it seems to be replaced by _Phyllodactylus duellmani_.
~Phyllodactylus paucituberculatus~ Dixon
_Phyllodactylus paucituberculatus_ Dixon, Southwest. Nat.,
5:40, April 15, 1960.--Rio Cupatitzio (= Rio Marquez), 6.5
miles south of Lombardia, Michoacan, Mexico.
Rio Marquez, 10 km. S of Lombardia (6).
Two of these specimens (UMMZ 112692-3) were discussed in detail by Dixon
(1960:40) in his description of the species. On August 25, 1960, Dixon
collected four additional specimens at the type locality, a conglomerate
cliff along the Rio Marquez. These will be reported by him in his
forthcoming study of the genus.
~Anolis dunni~ Smith
_Anolis dunni_ Smith, Copeia, no. 1:9, May 10, 1936.--Agua
del Obispo, Guerrero, Mexico.
Arteaga (3); 19 km. S of Arteaga.
Three females from Arteaga (UMMZ 119075) have snout-vent lengths of 41,
41, and 44 mm. In life the pale grayish brown dorsum was marked with
dark brown; the belly was white, and the throat was pale pink. All have
a dark interorbital bar and dark vertical bars on the upper labials. In
two specimens there are only scattered dark flecks on the dorsum; in the
third there is a dark postorbital stripe, a dark lateral stripe, and
four narrow transverse bands on the body. A male from 19 kilometers
south of Arteaga (UMMZ 119076) having a snout-vent length of 49 mm. had
in life a tan dorsum, a broad white stripe from the ear to the groin,
scattered small white spots on the dorsum, and indistinct pale
cream-colored spots on the posterior surfaces of the thighs. This male
has the dark labial bars, but lacks the dark interorbital bar, found in
the females. The large rose-pink throat fan extends to about the middle
of the belly. In all of the specimens the middorsal scales are keeled
and much smaller than the smooth pavementlike or slightly imbricate
ventrals. All have two gulars in contact with the mental, five scales
between the nasals, five scales (not including the first labials) in
contact with the rostral, and four rows of loreals. In these characters
these specimens agree well with _Anolis dunni_ from Guerrero, as
diagnosed by Davis (1954b).
Previously _Anolis dunni_ has been reported only from the vicinity of
Agua del Obispo, Guerrero, a locality situated at an elevation of about
900 meters in pine-oak forest in the Sierra del Sur. All known close
relatives of _Anolis dunni_ occur only in Guerrero: _A. taylori_ Smith
and Spieler from Acapulco, _A. gadowi_ Boulenger from Tierra Colorado,
_A. liogaster_ Boulenger, and _A. omiltemanus_ Davis from Omiltemi. The
present specimens from elevations of about 900 meters in riparian stream
vegetation and oak forest represent the northern known limits of this
group of _Anolis_.
~Anolis nebulosus~ (Wiegmann)
_Dactyloa nebulosa_ Wiegmann, Herpetologia Mexicana, p. 47,
1834.--Mexico. Type locality restricted to Mazatlan,
Sinaloa, Mexico, by Smith and Taylor (1950b:66).
_Anolis nebulosas_, Bocourt, Mission Scientifique au Mexique
et dan l'Amerique Centrale. Reptiles, livr. 2:77, 1873.
Acahuato (3); Agua Cerca; Apatzingan (4); Araparicuaro (3);
29 km. S of Ario de Rosales (3); 20 km. S of Arteaga (2);
Barranca de Bejuco; Cascada Tzararacua (5); Cerro Tancitaro
(13); Cheran; Chupio (5); Coalcoman (10); Cofradia; Dos
Aguas (10); 18 km. E of Dos Aguas (3); El Diezmo; El Sabino
(43); El Ticuiz; Jiquilpan (2); La Orilla; La Placita; La
Playa (3); Los Conejos (2); Los Pozos; Nogueleras (2);
Ostula; 8 km. W of Patzcuaro (2); 8 km. NE of Patzcuaro;
Playa Azul (3); Rio Cachan; Rio Marquez, 10 km. S of
Lombardia; Rio Tepalcatepec, 27 km. S of Apatzingan; San
Juan de Lima (6); San Pedro Naranjestila; Temazcal; Tuxpan
(2); Tzitzio; Uruapan (74); 11 km. N of Uruapan (2); Volcan
Jorullo; 16 km. E of Zacapu (2); 18 km. W of Zamora;
Ziracuaretiro.
Even with the abundance of material the assignment of a specific name to
these anoles is only tentative, for definite determination between
_Anolis nebulosus_ Wiegmann and _A. nebuloides_ Bocourt is uncertain.
Bocourt (1873:75) distinguished _A. nebuloides_ from _A. nebulosus_ by
the following characters: (1) head scales keeled, not smooth; (2) snout
narrower; (3) ear opening larger; (4) supraorbital semicircles separated
by a row of small scales and not in contact; (5) dorsal scales larger
and subequal in size to the belly scales. Boulenger (1885:77) used the
same characters; Smith and Taylor (1950b:58) in their key to the Mexican
species of _Anolis_ stated that the dorsal scales are slightly smaller
than the ventrals in _A. nebulosus_ and markedly smaller in _A.
nebuloides_. Smith (_in litt._) stated that the characters of the
relative sizes of the dorsal and ventral scales were incorrect in that
key.
The application of the above criteria to specimens from Michoacan has
not resulted in the recognition of two species. The majority of the
specimens have the supraorbital semicircles separated by at least one
small scale; the head scales, with the exception of those on the snout
in a few individuals, are smooth; the dorsal scales are only slightly
smaller than the ventrals. In other characters of scutellation the
specimens are highly variable. The males in life have an orange throat
fan. Anoles of this kind have been found in Michoacan, Colima, Jalisco,
Nayarit, and southern Sinaloa. Near Oaxaca, Oaxaca, specimens were
collected that superficially resemble those from Michoacan and farther
north. These have low keels on the snout scales, dorsals somewhat larger
than the ventrals, and a pink throat fan. In ten males from Oaxaca the
size of the dorsal scales relative to that of the ventrals is 1.00:0.83;
the same ratio for 25 males from Michoacan is 1.00:1.08. In both samples
there are specimens in which the dorsal and ventral scales are about
equal in size.