The Herpetofauna and Associated Parasites of Mexico--A Megadiverse Country: Phase II

这个项目调查了墨西哥的生物多样性，这个国家拥有世界上最多的两栖动物和爬行动物。德克萨斯大学阿灵顿分校和墨西哥国立自治大学之间提出了一项合作计划。参与者将对与这些类别相关的两栖动物、爬行动物和寄生虫动物群进行全面调查。调查人员将把重点放在墨西哥北部从横向火山科迪勒拉到美国边境的地区。墨西哥具有特别的生物地理学意义，因为它包括西半球两大动物区——近热带区和新热带区之间的过渡区。据估计，在墨西哥仍有200多种科学上未知的两栖动物和爬行动物有待发现，而对寄生虫的总体认识则极为有限。由于几个原因，这个项目比其他热带国家更为紧迫。首先，墨西哥的人口密度现在已经达到了这样的程度，在许多地区，最后的森林遗迹正在消失，这些森林以其极高的生物多样性和地方性程度而闻名。其次，墨西哥的两栖动物和爬行动物的多样性高于世界上任何其他国家，无论大小或位置如何。最后，两栖动物和爬行动物的数量都急剧下降；一些物种已经灭绝，其他物种也将很快消失。在这次调查中收集的资料（标本、组织样本、数字图像、录音）将对从事许多不同学科研究的人有价值的帮助，包括系统学、生态学和保护学。

This project investigates the biodiversity of Mexico, the country with the greatest number of amphibians and reptiles in the world. A collaboration is proposed between the University of Texas at Arlington and the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico. Participants will conduct a comprehensive survey of the amphibians, reptiles, and the parasite fauna associated with these classes. The investigators will focus their efforts on northern Mexico from the Transverse Volcanic Cordillera to the US border. Mexico is of particular biogeographical interest because it includes the transition zone between the two great faunal regions of the Western Hemisphere, the Neartic and Neotropical. It is estimated that more than 200 species of amphibians and reptiles unknown to science remain to be discovered in Mexico, and the parasites in general are extremely poorly known. The urgency for this project is more acute than for other tropical countries, for several reasons. First, human population density in Mexico has now reached the point where the last vestiges of forests are disappearing in many areas, and these forests are recognized for their extremely high biodiversity and levels of endemism. Second, the diversity of amphibians and reptiles in Mexico is higher than any other country in the world, regardless of size or location. Finally, dramatic population declines have been identified in both amphibians and reptiles; some species have already been lost and others will follow soon. The materials collected (specimens, tissue samples, digital images, recordings) during this survey will be valuable aids to persons working in many diverse disciplines of research, including systematics, ecology, and conservation.