The Amphibians and Reptiles and their Parasites of Mexico--A Megadiverse Country

墨西哥的两栖爬行动物及其寄生虫--一个生物多样性巨大的国家本项目将对墨西哥的两栖爬行动物的多样性进行盘点，墨西哥是这两类脊椎动物物种数量最多的国家。 除了大量的物种外，墨西哥在地理上也特别有意义，因为它包括西半球两大动物区（Neartic和Neotropic）之间的过渡带。 对以前收集地点的分析显示，存在很大的地理收集偏差。 墨西哥崎岖的地形使得进入许多高原地区变得困难，这反映在1500米以上山区的少量收藏中。在采集两栖爬行动物标本的同时，还将采集并保存其上的寄生虫进行分类鉴定。 根据以前的信息，预计将收集和鉴定至少7种不同无脊椎动物门的寄生虫。将在三年内调查两栖动物和爬行动物及其寄生虫（原生动物和后生动物，内部和外部），重点是最不为人所知的山区。 选择这些地区是因为它们是最不为人所知的，其中一些地区的森林正在迅速消失。在墨西哥已知的两栖动物和爬行动物约有1100种，其中62%仅在墨西哥已知。 自1980年以来，墨西哥已经发现了大约100种两栖动物和爬行动物的新物种，即使没有对该国进行有组织的调查。 预计在墨西哥仍有200多种两栖动物和爬行动物以及更多的寄生虫有待发现。 除了描述新的分类群外，还将开发一个可在网上查阅的墨西哥两栖动物和爬行动物地理参照数据库，并将编制清单、分布图和识别码。 在这次调查中收集的材料将提供给系统学，生态学和保护的研究人员。 来自墨西哥和美国的研究生，墨西哥科学家将参与该项目的各个方面。

The Amphibians and Reptiles and Their Parasites of Mexico-A Megadiverse Country This project will inventory the diversity of amphibians and reptiles of Mexico, the country with the largest numbers of species of these two classes of vertebrates. In addition to the large number of species, 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. An analysis of previous collecting localities revealed a large geographical collecting bias. The rugged relief of Mexico has made access into many highland areas difficult, and this is reflected in the small number of collections made in mountainous regions above 1500 meters. As specimens of amphibians and reptiles are collected, the parasites living on them also will be collected and preserved for taxonomic identification. Based on previous information, it is anticipated that parasites from at least seven different invertebrate phyla will be collected and identified. The amphibians and reptiles and their parasites (protozoans and metazoans, internal and external) will be surveyed over a three-year period, emphasizing the most poorly known mountainous regions. These regions have been selected because they are the most poorly known, and in several of them the forests are rapidly disappearing.About 1100 described species of amphibians and reptiles are known from Mexico, and 62% of these species are known only from Mexico. Approximately one hundred new species of amphibians and reptiles have been described from Mexico since 1980 even without an organized survey for the country. It is anticipated that 200+ species of amphibians and reptiles, and a far larger number of parasites, remain to be discovered in Mexico. In addition to describing new taxa, a web-accessible geo-referenced database for Mexican amphibians and reptiles will be developed, and checklists, distribution maps, and identification keys will be prepared. The materials collected during this survey will be available to researchers in systematics, ecology, and conservation. Graduate students from Mexico and the U.S., and Mexican scientists will participate in all aspects of the project.