The potential distribution of the Greater Grison, Galictis vittata, reaches east-central México including the southern portion of Tamaulipas state. However, there are no geographical records that confirm this potential range limit. Our study documents the first record of the Greater Grison photographed by camera traps at "El Cielo" Biosphere Reserve, Tamaulipas State, México. We installed 26 camera traps at "El Cielo" Biosphere Reserve. The cameras were programmed to take pictures and with the date and hour of each photo recorded automatically. Also, we created a map, which combined the Greater Grison's potential distribution and published occurrence records, to overlay on our new sightings in "El Cielo". One camera trap recorded two photos of a Greater Grison at "El Cielo" Biosphere Reserve, within a preserved pine-oak forest environment. These two records represent the only confirmed sightings of the Greater Grison in Tamaulipas state and they are located 64.4 km northwest of the nearest estimated potential distribution and 186 km north of the northern-most sighting in southern San Luis Potosí. The record of our study expand both the original potential distribution and the known distribution of this species toward the northwest and north, respectively. The sightings also increase the known elevation limit of the species in México from 1,500 to 1,790 m. We believe that the occurrence of Greater Grison at "El Cielo" is not unusual because this site has the conditions and habitat that are suitable to the distribution of this species.
Roberts’ False Brook Salamander (Pseudoeurycea robertsi) is a critically endangered plethodontid salamander, endemic to the Nevado de Toluca Volcano (NTV), Mexico. Little is known about the biology and ecology of this species, including its microhabitats. Thus, this study aimed to collect basic information about P. robertsi. We sampled fourteen forested sites in the NTV; to corroborate the correct identification of the species we used genetic data, we assessed the variation in head morphometric measurements and dorsal colouration patterns amongst localities and the microhabitat features associated with P. robertsi presence. Of the four potential salamander species, P. robertsi was the most abundant (89.80%) and widely distributed (approximately within 130 km2) salamander in the NTV. We did not find significant variations in morphometry; however, we found significant differences in dorsal patterns between populations (in the number and size of segments of the dorsal stripe). The average total length for 185 adults was 89.15 mm (38.7–117.9 mm); we found seven patterns of dorsal stripe. We found 98% of P. robertsi individuals under the bark of fallen logs in Abies religiosa and A. religiosa-Pinus sp. forests, with a higher number of detected salamanders in naturally-fallen logs than in cut logs (34% vs. 10%). Thus, keeping well-preserved A. religiosa forests and retaining fallen logs is essential to P. robertsi conservation.
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