The knowledge of the family Cerambycidae (Coleoptera) from Mexico is updated based on the literature where records of species from Mexico have been published. In addition, Callimoxys sanguinicollis (Olivier, 1800), Laticranium mandibulare Lane 1959, Bellamira scalaris (Say, 1826), and Strangalia opleri Linsley & Chemsak, 1976 are recorded as new records for the country. A total of 1,836 species (including subspecies), 503 genera, 81 tribes, and seven subfamilies are recorded from Mexico. A complete checklist of taxa is provided.
Cerambycidae is one the most diverse families in the order Coleoptera with more than 37,000 species described in all continents. Cerambicyd beetles have a worldwide distribution from sea level to montane sites. In Mexico, more than 1,600 species have been recorded. Nevertheless, the diversity and distribution of this family in the Mexican deserts is poorly known.
A first checklist of Cerambycidae from seven localities of Cuatro Ciénegas Basin is presented. This study is the result of sampling carried out between 2009 to 2013. Some material from other collections is also included. The species list includes four subfamilies, 13 tribes, 32 genera and 37 species, from which 13 are new records for the state of Coahuila and three species represent new records for Mexico. These results highlight the paucity of knowledge of insects in the deserts of Mexico.
The Big-footed Leopard Frog (Lithobates megapoda) is a threatened and endemic species from western Mexico. This species has aquatic habits and it is distinguished by its large size, particularly by the length of its legs, reason for which it is captured for human consumption. Also, knowledge about its natural history is scarce and incomplete. In this study, we analyzed the composition of the diet of L. megapoda on the shore of Lake Chapala, the largest lake in Mexico. A total of 69 adult individuals were collected lifeless in fishing nets, during the rainy season (June-October), of which 48 had stomach contents. A total of 96 prey items were identified, which correspond to 13 prey categories. Fish constituted the most dominant prey category in the diet in terms of number, volume, frequency of occurrence, and relative importance. No significant differences were found in the consumption by prey type (aquatic or terrestrial). However, the aquatic preys had a greater relative importance and were more voluminous than the terrestrial ones. The diversity of prey categories, in terms of prey volume, indicates males may have a higher dietary diversity than females, but we not evaluated possible bias. In addition, a significant effect was found in the interaction of size (SVL) of frogs with the average of prey volume. Females (that are larger than males) consumed prey within a wide volume range and, the larger they are, more voluminous are prey. In this way it is possible that intraspecific competition for trophic resources in the environment is reduced. This study helps us understand the trophic ecology of L. megapoda, a frog species that plays an important role in the food web where it lives, as a predator feeding on aquatic and terrestrial organisms.
In the present work specimens of the family Cerambycidae from the Colección Nacional de Insectos (CNIN, IBUNAM) were studied as well as recently collected specimens by author from Tlaxcala state, Mexico. Two new species are described and illustrated: Methia tlaxcalaensis sp. nov. Acanthocinus (Acanthocinus) andresi sp. nov. Moreover, Dexithea klugii (Laporte & Gory, 1836), Placosternus erythropus (Chevrolat, 1835), Heterachthes integripennis (Bates, 1885), Phoracantha recurva Newman, 1840, Acanthoderes (Pardalisia) funeraria Bates, 1861 and Aplagiognathus spinosus (Newman, 1840) are recorded for the first time from Tlaxcala state. The present study contributes to the knowledge of the longhorn beetles fauna of central Mexico.
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