Amphibians and reptiles of the sierra de Cuatro venados, Oaxaca, Mexico

Abstract

We surveyed amphibian and reptile communities in temperate forest in the Sierra de Cuatro Venados to increase knowledge of the Oaxacan herpetofauna. We obtained 193 visual and 106 voucher records during 38 days of fieldwork. During the study, we recorded 36 of the 40 species predicted to occur in this mountain range: 13 amphibians and 23 reptiles, five of which represent new records at the regional scale. Pine-oak and oak-pine forest habitats were most similar in terms of taxonomic composition (70%), and together contributed a total of 29 species (79%). Species richness was greatest in the altitudinal range 2.001-2.500 m a.m.s.l. (72%) and terrestrial microhabitat (89%). Fifteen of the observed species (42%) are considered to be threatened nationally or internationally, twelve are endemic to Mexico, and one is locally endemic. The total number of reptile and amphibian species known to inhabit the Montañas y Valles del Occidente physiographic region is increased to 122.