25 ENDEMIC SPECIES OF MEXICO AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS - BIOLOGY

Among the endemic species of Mexico we can highlight the vaquita marina, the eared quetzal, the Sinaloa toad, the orange pechinaranja, the Mexican fishing bat and the Julimes puppy. As for plants, some examples are the royal palm and the red dahlia.

And is that a large part of the diversity of animals and plants that exist in Mexico is made up of species that are only distributed in that country. Many restrict their habitat to high mountains or islands, while other groups may occupy caves, lakes, or rivers.

Ocellated turkey. Source: Dennis Jarvis from Halifax, Canada

Thus, they could be endemic to the country, to a particular state or even to a specific region, as is the case with the Tehuantepec hare. This lagomorph lives exclusively around the Gulf of Tehuantepec, in Oaxaca.

The geographic areas where these species are found are usually due to geographic isolation. Thus, some of the endemic areas are the Sierra Madre Occidental and the Pacific coastal plain. However, the islands constitute, in a greater proportion, the areas where endemic animals and plants inhabit. An example of this are the islands of Cozumel and Las Marías.

Endemic species of Mexico

- Mammals

Tehuantepec Hare (

Tehauntepec Hare. Source: Tamara Mila Rioja Paradela / Conabio

Currently, this species lives around the Gulf of Tehuantepec, in Oaxaca. It is distributed in four small populations, geographically differentiated. These are Montecillo Santa Cruz, San Francisco del Mar Viejo, Aguachil and Santa María del Mar.

The Tehuantepec hare has a stylized body, with highly developed hind limbs, which allow it to perform long runs. In relation to the coat, dorsally it is grayish brown, with black tints, while the belly is white.

This species is distinguished from the other lagomorphs by the two black lines that start from the base of the ears and reach the back of the body.

Cozumel Harvester Mouse (

This rodent, native to the island of Cozumel, has nocturnal and semi-arboreal habits. Among their favorite habitats are forest edges and secondary forests.

Regarding its coloration, the dorsal area is dark brown, and the belly is white. The body has a total length between 20 and 23 centimeters and an average weight of 20.2 grams. It has a long tail, in relation to the length of the body.

Vaquita marina (

The vaquita porpoise is endemic to the Upper Gulf of California. Worldwide, it is the smallest species among all cetaceans. Thus, the male measures 1.35 meters and the female around 1.40 meters. As for its weight, it is 50 kilograms.

It has oversized fins and an aerodynamically shaped body. The upper part of this is dark gray, which stands out against the white ventral area.

Phocoena sinus is classified by the IUCN as a marine mammal in serious danger of extinction.

Gray mouse opossum (

This marsupial is distributed from Oaxaca to the southern part of Sonora. In addition, it can inhabit the Marías Islands and in the Yucatán.

The body length is 12.3 centimeters, with a prehensile tail measuring around 14.3 centimeters. As for the fur, it is gray and each eye is framed by a black circle.

Mexican fishing bat (

Myotis vivesi inhabits the islands located on the coast of the Gulf of California, extending through Baja California Sur, Sonora and Baja California. Likewise, several populations have been sighted on Isla Encantada and Punta Coyote.

The legs of this placental mammal are large. On each finger it has very sharp claws. These characteristics, together with the long wings, made up of the modified forelimbs, allow this animal to marry its prey. Their diet is mainly based on fish and crustaceans.

Yucatan Corzuela (

This small-sized deer is originally from Yucatán. Like the vast majority of the species of the Cervidae family, to which it belongs, the Yucatán corzuela is found in humid tropical forests. However, it can spread to arid and open regions.

The temazate deer, as this species is also known, has a small antler and its hair is brown. As for food, it is a herbivorous mammal, which bases its diet on herbs, fruits, flowers, fungi and leaves.

Shrew of Los Tuxtlas (

Cryptotis nelsoni is found in the Los Tuxtlas area, in the state of Veracruz. Its size is medium, with a total of 16 centimeters long and a body mass between 3 and 5 grams.

Small eyes and very inconspicuous ears stand out on the head. In addition, the muzzle is long and pointed. In relation to the coat, it has a tone that can vary from dark gray to light gray, while the belly is lighter.

- Birds

Spiky quetzal (

This bird breeds in the pine forests and canyons located south and west of Michoacán and in the Sierra Madre Occidental. The tail of the spiky quetzal is neither iridescent nor as long as that of the species of the genus Pharomachrus, where the resplendent quetzal is included.

Commonly, this species is known as the long-eared quetzal, since both sexes have auricular plumes, which resemble large ears.

At the dorsal level, the plumage of Euptilotis neoxenus is green, while the outer tail feathers are white, the central ones dark blue, and the coverts red. The male's head is black, the chest is iridescent green, and the chest is red. The female has more opaque tones, the head is gray and the abdomen and chest are red.

Cenzontle (

In Mexico, this bird is also called the northern nightingale. The main characteristic of Mimus polyglottos is its ability to copy the vocalizations of other animals, including those of man. Its distribution within the country is very wide, although it generally lives towards the areas located to the north. In addition, it can be found in Cuba and North America.

The adult species have a gray color in the upper body area, light yellow eyes and a black bill. As for the legs, they are long and black.

The Cozumel emerald (

This species of hummingbird is endemic to the Mujeres Islands and the islands of Cozumel. In these geographic regions, it lives in mangroves, jungles and even in urban gardens.

In terms of its characteristics, the body measures 8 to 9.5 centimeters. It has a long, straight bill. Regarding plumage, males are much more striking than females. These are green, with a light gray abdomen, while the male is bright green.

Ocellated turkey (

The Meleagris ocellata is a galliform bird endemic to the Yucatán Peninsula. Thus, it is found in Tabasco, Chiapas, Quintana Roo, Yucatán and Campeche. Also, it is found in Belize and Guatemala.

This animal can be 70 to 90 centimeters long. With regard to body mass, the female weighs about 3 kilograms and the male 4 kilograms.

The coloration of the feathers in both sexes is of a very particular tone, product of the mixture between iridescent green and bronze. However, the female has more opaque tones, with a greater tendency to green.

As for the head, it is blue in color, and may present red or orange warts. In the male there is a fleshy crown-shaped, blue in color.

The bush turkey, as this bird is known, can fly short distances. However, when threatened he prefers to run. During mating, the male vocalizes a call similar to a chirp, while the female emits a weak cackle.

Orange pechina bunting (

This passerine bird is native to the south and west of Mexico. In this way, it is located in the Sierra Madre del Sur, from Oaxaca to Jalisco. In addition, he lives in Chiapas and on the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.

The male has an unmistakable coloration. The upper part of the body is green and turquoise blue and the belly is intense yellow. On the other hand, the female has more opaque tones. The dorsal area is olive green and the belly is yellow, with a blue tail.

Thick-billed parrot (

The distribution of this species is restricted to Chihuahua, the Sierra Madre Occidental and Durango. In these regions it lives mainly in fir and pine forests. The mountain parakeet, as it is also known, is in danger of becoming extinct, according to the IUCN.

This species has a thick black bill. The plumage is bright green, with red feathers on the forehead and upper area of each wing. Also, it has a distinctive red band on the top of the legs.

- Fishes

Cozumel toadfish (

This fish lives under the corals of the island of Cozumel. One aspect that differentiates it from the other members of the Batrachoididae family is its bright coloration. Its body is dark, generally grayish brown, with lighter horizontal lines. On this coloration, the fins of a luminous yellow tone stand out.

The body size is approximately 24 centimeters long. It has a flat head and a wide mouth, with small, very sharp teeth. As for the eyes, they are in the upper area of the head, looking up.

Sardine of San Ignacio (

The San Ignacio sardine lives in the oases between San Luis Gonzaga and San Ignacio, in Baja California Sur. The total length of its body is approximately 5 to 10 centimeters. Another characteristic of the species is its light gray coloration and its mouth located towards the front.

Due to the decline that afflicts its populations, this species is listed in danger of extinction. Some of the factors that influence this reduction are the small range of their natural habitat and competition with tilapia, an exotic fish in the area.

Lizard Peje (

This fish lives in fresh water. Its distribution ranges from Mexico to Costa Rica, inhabiting rivers, estuaries, wetlands and lagoons. The gaspar, as this species is also known, is brown in its adult state, with several dark spots in the ventral area.

The alligator has an elongated body, which can measure up to 125 centimeters and weigh around 29 kilograms. The muzzle is long, cone-shaped and the nostrils are located in the frontal area. As for the teeth, in the upper jaw it has two rows of large fangs and in the lower one there is only one row.

The body is covered with large, hard, rhomboidal scales. Among the characteristics that distinguish it are its gill rakers, which are large and have a flattened shape.

In relation to the fins, they do not have spines. The caudal is similar to a fan and in the upper part it is covered with bony scales. The pelvic fins are located in the central area of the body, while the pectoral one occupies the lower part of the flank.

Julimes puppy (

The Cyprinodon julimes lives in the "El Pandeño" thermal area, located in the Conchos river basin, in the state of Chihuahua. The waters where it lives come from a complex thermal system, where the temperature reaches an average of 38 ° C, and can reach up to 46 ° C.

In the adult stage, this small fish measures approximately 40 millimeters. The coloration of its body is silver gray, with dark stripes on the sides and in the upper area. In particular, the female usually has the same pattern of stripes, but in a cream tone. In addition, both this and the young have a black spot on the dorsal fin.

Matalote opata (

This species currently occupies the Sonora river basin, in the state of Sonora. Generally they are grouped into schools, which live in deep areas, where the vegetation offers them protection. However, they can also live in clear, shallow streams.

Regarding its characteristics, it has a long head, with a dark back and a light belly. It has three black spots, located equidistant from the pectoral fins to the base of the tail.

- Amphibians

Dwarf Mexican tree frog (

This amphibian is endemic to the Mexican Pacific coastal zone. Thus, it is distributed from the central region of Sinaloa to southern Oaxaca. Towards the interior of Mexico, it is located in the Balsas-Tepalcatepec basin, located in Morelos and Puebla.

In these geographic regions, it lives in tropical dry forests, although it prefers flooded grasslands and small streams. A good part of their habitat is fragmented, which negatively affects their development.

Due to this, this Mexican species is included in the special category of protection, against possible extinction. The dwarf Mexican tree frog is bright yellow. Regarding its size, it is a small amphibian, measuring from 26 to 31 centimeters.

Sinaloa toad (

Incilius mazatlanensis is 55 to 100 millimeters long. In the dorsal region it has brown or gray spots, irregularly distributed. Likewise, it has dark colored horny tubercles. When it reaches the adult stage, it has prominent cranial ridges, which have dark edges.

This amphibian is endemic to the Pacific coast, specifically south of Colima, north of Sonora and southwest of Chihuahua. It inhabits rivers, streams, agricultural canals and reservoirs. In relation to its diet, it eats ants, beetles, among other insects.

Tlaloc frog (

It is an endemic frog to Mexico, which lives in Lake Xochimilco, located in the Federal District. Their populations are declining markedly, which is why the IUCN has categorized this species as critically endangered.

Its body is medium in size, reaching a length of 6.3 centimeters, with relatively short legs. In relation to the head, it is wide. In this one a rounded and short muzzle stands out.

The coloration is golden cinnamon, with dark spots unevenly distributed. This base tone contrasts with that of the belly, which is cream. The dorsal area of the extremities has dark transverse lines. In a very particular way, the Tláloc frog has high dorsal-lateral folds, which are bronze in color.

Large crested toad (

This species is endemic to the Sierra Madre Oriental, in Mexico, encompassing the central-western region of Veracruz, some areas of northern Puebla and the surroundings of Jalapa.

Its habitat is associated with mountain forests, which are between 1,200 and 2,000 meters above sea level. Also, it lives in the aquatic vegetation, typical of gallery forests.

The population of the large crested toad is declining, which is why the IUCN considers this species critically endangered. Similarly, the Official Mexican Standard 059 includes it among the animals subject to Special Protection.

The Incilius cristatus is characterized by having a large, oval crest, located behind the eyes. Regarding the coloration, it varies according to sex. Thus, the female has a dark brown dorsal region, while the male is light brown. This is gray in the area of the lateral spines.

Regarding its size, the female is larger than the male. This one measures an average of 5.8 centimeters and the female has a body with a length of 3 to 9 centimeters.

- Plants

Palmite (

The palm is an endemic species of the states of Durango, Guerrero, Michoacán, Nayarit and Jalisco. In these regions it inhabits oak and pine-oak forests. The stem is cylindrical in shape. It grows erect and reaches a height of one meter. However, adult species could reach more than two meters in height.

In relation to the leaves, they measure up to 2 meters, are flat and have a bright green tone. In the adult state, they become glabrous, except on the rachis and on the inside of the leaflets. Each leaf has between 93 and 104 leaflets. Those that are located at the base generally form spines.

Chaliuesca (

This species is endemic to Mexico and Guatemala, however, due to its showy flowers, it is cultivated worldwide.

It is a perennial herbaceous plant that is up to three meters high. Its roots are tubercular and the stem grows erect. This is glabrous and striated, although it could also be hairy.

As for the leaves, they are up to 35 centimeters long. They have serrated margins and are compound. The inflorescence can be erect or inclined. Each head has between 70 and 160 flowers, with red, yellow or orange ligules.

The chalihuesca has a preference for sunny areas. It is usually planted for ornamental purposes, however, this plant is attributed various uses in traditional medicine. Thus, it is used to combat colic, herpes and cough.

Round palm (

This palm is native to Mexico, found in Guanajuato, Nayarit, Campeche, Michoacán and Guerrero. It lives in oak-pine forests and palm groves.

The Sabal pumos is approximately 15 meters high. The trunk is smooth and of a grayish hue. As for the leaves, they are green and have a long petiole. This penetrates the blade, causing the blade to bend over itself. In relation to the inflorescence, the bracts are smooth and each centimeter has six to seven flowers.

The flowers are between 4.4 and 6.7 millimeters long. The calyx is dome-shaped and the petals are membranous and obovate. These measure 1.8 to 2.7 mm. The fruit of the royal palm, as the Sabal pumos is also known, is a sphere, so it is wider than it is long. It has a coloration that could vary between dark brown and green.

This plant is of great importance within the understory. This is because it is considered a soil-forming species. Likewise, it is an excellent indicator of ecological alterations in the forest, since it is very susceptible to deforestation.

References

Héctor Espinosa-Pérez (2014). Biodiversity of fishes in Mexico. Recovered from elsevier.es.
Mexican Biodiversity (2019). Endemic species. Recovered from biodiversity.gob.mx.
Encyclopedia britannica (2019). Nayarit, state Mexico. Recovered from britannica.com.
Alejandro Olivera (2018). Mexico´s 10 most iconic endangered species. Recovered from biologicaldiversity.org.
Ellie Kincaid (2015). Mexico has a shockingly high number of threatened and endangered species. Recovered from businessinsider.com.

25 ENDEMIC SPECIES OF MEXICO AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS - BIOLOGY - 2024