Herpetology Notes, volume 14: 469-473 (2021) (published online on 01 March 2021)

The distribution of Ambystoma velasci Dugès, 1888 in Veracruz, Mexico: insights for its conservation in the region

Ángel Iván Contreras-Calvario1, Ángel F. Soto-Pozos2, Jorge Luis Castillo-Juárez1, Rafael Alejandro Calzada-Arciniega2,*, and Gabriela Parra-Olea2

Introduction range for which no locality records exist (Percino-Daniel et al., 2019). This has been evaluated as a The Mexican state of Veracruz has one of the highest species of Least Concern by the International Union for diversities of in Mexico. Most of these Conservation of Nature (IUCN, 2020). However, it is species belong to the family , but one listed in Special Protection Category (Pr) under Mexican species belongs to the family Ambystomatidae (Parra- law (NOM-059-SEMARNAT 2010), considering that Olea et al., 2014). The study of salamander diversity in numerous factors could be threatening its populations. the state has continuously given new insights regarding Knowledge about its ecology and habitat characteristics salamander diversity and distribution. The implementation is poor. It is known that the species inhabits a variety of of better analytical tools, including molecular analyses, as water bodies, including ponds, streams, lakes, puddles, well as extensive fieldwork in the last 20 years, has led to and dams (Ramírez-Bautista et al., 2014; Percino-Daniel new species descriptions, rediscoveries, and occurrence et al., 2019). In the southern range of A. velasci, in data that have conveyed a better understanding of the states of Puebla and Veracruz, few localities have salamander diversity and provided more accurate been reported in the literature or are listed in museum distributions of the species in the state (Parra-Olea et al., databases. Particularly in the state of Veracruz, the only 2010; Sandoval-Comte et al., 2012; García-Castillo et al., four known localities are in Central Region, on the 2018; Aguilar-Lopez et al., 2019; Contreras-Calvario et northeastern slopes of the volcano Cofre de Perote in al., 2019). Nevertheless, knowledge about the distribution the municipalities of Perote, Las Vigas de Ramírez, and and overall ecology of some species has remained scarce. Acajete (Juárez-Ramírez et al., 2016; GBIF, 2020). Here One of these species is the Mexican endemic axolotl we report on new records of A. velasci from Veracruz. Ambystoma velasci Dugès, 1888 the only ambystomatid Our records significantly increase the known distribution salamander in the state. in Central Region and extend its range to the southern Ambystoma velasci has a wide geographic distribution, part of the state in Altas Montañas Region, where this occurring from the northern state of Chihuahua to central species has not been recorded before. Mexico, in the mountains of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt through the Mexican High Plateau (IUCN, 2020; Materials and Methods Fig. 1). While the distribution of the species is well known on a large scale, there are few published localities from In 2016 and 2017 we searched for new populations of each state, resulting in large regions within the species’ A. velasci in the state of Veracruz in both Central Region and Altas Montañas Region (Fig. 1). Specimens were captured by hand or using small fishing nets. For each occurrence, we recorded the geographic coordinates 1 Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad and elevation, and took photographs of the specimens. Veracruzana, Camino Viejo Peñuela-Amatlán de los Reyes, Since no other species of ambystomatid salamander s/n, Municipio de Amatlán de los Reyes, Veracruz 94945, occurs in the region, no identification keys were México. 2 Departamento de Zoología, Instituto de Biología, Universidad needed. All recorded specimens corresponded to the Nacional Autónoma de México, Tercer Circuito Exterior, morphology described for this species in the literature s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, México, Distrito Federal 70153, (Canseco-Márquez and Gutiérrez-Mayén, 2009). México. Adults of Ambystoma must use available water bodies * Corresponding author e-mail: [email protected] to breed, and the maximum moved distance recorded © 2021 by Herpetology Notes. Open Access by CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. for an Ambystoma species is 1600 m (Smith and Green, 470 Ángel Iván Contreras-Calvario et al.

Figure 1. Map of records for Ambystoma velasci in Veracruz State, Mexico, and the nearest records in Puebla State.

2005). Thus, we considered populations for which the is in a different municipality, namely Acajete (19.5424°, calculated straight-line distance was > 15 km as distinct. 97.0950°W, elevation 2947 m), Perote (19.5572°N, To record the vegetation types and habitat disturbance of 97.1115°W, elevation 2976 m), and Villa Aldama each population we used the land use and vegetation map (19.6628°N, 97.1773°W, elevation 2354 m). The record (scale 1:250,000), produced by the Instituto Nacional of Villa Aldama represents the first municipality record de Estadística y Geografía Serie VI (INEGI, 2016). We for the species. Our new records significantly increase estimated the extent of occurrence (EOO) by measuring a the EOO of the species in Central Region, from 17 to minimum convex polygon containing previous and new 59 km2. The new population from Altas Montañas occurrences presented herein. Region inhabits five ponds in close proximity (maximum distance < 600 m; Fig. 2). The coordinates of the central pond are 18.7459°N, 97.3316°W, and the ponds cover an Results and Discussion elevational range of 2492–2516 m. Several individuals We found three new records in Central Region and were observed in each of the ponds. one new population in Altas Montañas Region, 92 km The records from Altas Montañas Region represent further south than previously known records in the state a range extension of approximately 92 km to the south (Fig. 1). All salamanders were found inside bodies of of their previous known distribution in Central Region. water, and recorded life stages included juveniles as Furthermore, these localities are about 31 km to the well as paedomorphic and metamorphosed adults (Table east of the nearest historical population in Puebla State 1). The three new records in Central Region represent (Fig. 1), which was reported as extirpated a decade ago individuals observed in different water bodies (i.e., (Canseco-Marquez and Gutiérrez-Mayen, 2010). The separated by at least 200 m). Each of the three records nearest extant population in Puebla State is about 38 km Distribution and Conservation of Ambystoma velasci 471

Table 1. Results from a survey of Ambystoma velasci in central and southern Veracruz State, Mexico. Listed are water bodies, numbers of individuals, and recorded life stages. All adults represent paedomorphic adults except those indicated with an asterisk (*), which were metamorphosed.

Observed Individuals Region Municipality Type of Water Body Juveniles Adults Altas Montañas Acultzingo jagüey 0 1 Altas Montañas Acultzingo jagüey 0 2 Altas Montañas Acultzingo jagüey 0 29 Altas Montañas Acultzingo jagüey 0 4* Altas Montañas Acultzingo jagüey 0 12 Central Acajete lagoon 0 3 Central Perote puddle 0 27 Central Villa Aldama stream 50 8

from the new site (Fig. 1). The land-use and vegetation small shallow ponds along the stream, and puddles. In type around the new records is heterogeneous. The contrast, in Altas Montañas Region the salamanders records in Central Region are mainly in pine forest were observed only in artificial ponds. These artificial but also include grasslands, secondary vegetation, and ponds, known as jaguëyes locally, are water reservoirs seasonal agriculture areas, whereas all the records in Altas commonly present in rural areas, filled by rainwater, Montañas are restricted to seasonal agricultural areas. and used by people for a variety of purposes, including The increase of the EOO in Central Region suggests agriculture and cattle ranching. Those activities by that the species could have a broader distribution than the local human population represents a threat to the is currently known. Most of Central Region records are populations of A. velasci in other areas of its distribution in water bodies located within pine forest. Fortunately, (Percino-Daniel et al., 2019). Nevertheless, artificial some of the records are within the San Juan del Monte water bodies represent available habitat for the species, Reserve, administrated by the government of Veracruz and discrete and regulated use of these water bodies State. This protection should limit or at least regulate could ensure the persistence of the species and other the logging or other activities that impact the available taxa in the region (Oertli, 2018), especially where natural habitat. Nonetheless, this area is affected continuously by habitats have been piped, dried, or polluted. forest fires (Delfín-Muñoz, 2012), causing the reduction To ensure the survival of the species where the only and deterioration of salamander habitat. This situation is available habitats are jagüeyes, we suggest that (1) relevant considering not only the presence of A. velasci, such water bodies must be considered while planning but also in the context of high salamander diversity in conservation strategies for the species in the region, the area, which includes species such as Chiropterotriton (2) conservation activities developed by different totonacus, C. perotensis, munificus, stakeholders (academia, NGOs, and government) should cephalica, leprosa, and P. melanomolga increase the awareness of the importance of jagüeyes (Parra-Olea et al., 2001, 2020; Juárez-Ramírez et al., as breeding sites for ambystomatid salamanders among 2016). Conversely, the water bodies at Altas Montañas the owners and other community members, and (3) are within a disturbed area, where active logging and communities should implement better practices to livestock activity occurs despite being within the maintain the populations of Ambystoma within their protected area Parque Nacional Cañón del Río Blanco water bodies. The record of populations like the ones (Rivera-Hernández, 2015; CONANP, 2020). reported herein is essential to our understanding of the The Ambystoma populations from Veracruz featured diversity of salamanders at a regional scale and plan here inhabit different water bodies (Table 1). In Central future conservation and management activities. Region, these include lagoons, intermittent streams, 472 Ángel Iván Contreras-Calvario et al.

Figure 2. (A) A paedomorphic individual of Ambystoma velasci from Altas Montañas Region, Veracruz State, Mexico. (B) An artificial water body known asjagüey , where A. velasci is found.

Acknowledgements. We thank Christopher Cousins for his Reyes, who kindly helped to design Figure 1. Fieldwork for this helpful comments to improve the English in an early version of research was supported by a grant from the Programa de Apoyo this manuscript. We also thank Aníbal Díaz de la Vega and an a Proyectos de Investigación e Innovación Tecnológica (PAPIIT- anonymous reviewer for their helpful comments, which helped UNAM) IN203617. improve the overall quality of this work. We are grateful to Eduardo Pineda, who shared data of specimens deposited in the References and Reptile Collection of the Instituto de Ecología A.C. (CARIE). We thank Laura Pamela Taval Velazquez, Jose Aguilar-Lopez, J.L., Garcia-Banuelos, P., Pineda, E., Rovito, S.M. Luis Servin Torres, and Mirna Grisel García Castillo for their (2019): Thorius narismagnus (Amphibia: Plethodontidae): assistance during fieldwork. We are very grateful to Abigail Mora rediscovery at the type locality and detection of a new population. Distribution and Conservation of Ambystoma velasci 473

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