Abstract

CRUZ-ELIZALDE, Raciel  and  RAMIREZ-BAUTISTA, Aurelio. Diversity of reptiles in three vegetation types of the Hidalgo state, México. Rev. Mex. Biodiv. [online]. 2012, vol.83, n.2, pp.458-467. ISSN 2007-8706.

The southeast of Hidalgo in Mexico includes various vegetation types, such as cloud forest, pine-oak forest and pine forest, all harbouring a high species richness of reptiles. In this study we analyzed the alpha and beta diversity of reptiles in 3 vegetation types in the southeast of the state. The field work period was from June 2008 to August 2009, comprising 12 sampling periods of 3 days, 1 per month. The diversity of reptiles is composed of 25 species, reporting the snake Thamnophis scaliger as a new record for the state. The cloud forest (CF) has the highest richness, with 15 species, followed by pine forest (PF), with 13, and finally, the pine-oak forest (POF), with 12 species. The associations between the CF-PF and CF-POF showed the highest dissimilarity in species, and the lowest the POF-PF. This study shows the richness and distribution species of the reptiles in the different vegetation types from southeast of the state, presents new records of species from the state and provides the basis for future studies on the biology of some species of reptiles in the area. The knowledge of species richness by vegetation types from this study provides the basis on the biodiversity that help to raise studies directed to the conservation of this group.

Keywords : species richness; lizards; snakes; abundance; turnover; Hidalgo.