HERPETOFAUNA OF THE CHASCHOC LAGOON WETLANDS, TABASCO, MEXICO

Abstract

This study apports new information on the diversity of amphibians and reptiles in a freshwater wetland of Tabasco. From January to December 2014, monthly samplings were conducted in the Chaschoc lagoon wetlands to establish a checklist of amphibians and reptiles for this site and to detect potential threats to their conservation. Diurnal and nocturnal surveys were conducted in terrestrial habitats, while surveys were conducted in water bodies for turtles and crocodiles. Fifty-five species were detected (12 amphibians, and 43 reptiles), representing 32.4% of the species recorded for Tabasco. Species accumulation models resulted in percentages of inventory completeness above 92 %. Most of the species do not appear in IUCN Red List of threatened species, appendices of CITES, or the list of threatened species of the Official Mexican Norm NOM-59-SEMARNAT-2010. Main threats detected for the herpetofauna were cattle ranching, illegal hunting and collecting, destruction, fragmentation and pollution of the habitat, and intentional fires. We also detected three non-native invasive species of reptiles.