30 ENDEMIC ANIMALS OF MEXICO AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS - BIOLOGY

Some of the best known endemic animals in Mexico are the vaquita marina, the axolotl, the Cozumel toadfish, the Yucatan corzuela and the Mexican spiny-tailed iguana, among others.

Mexico is a country located in the southern part of North America. Due to this location, it is one of the tropical regions that has great biodiversity. In this sense, in the Mexican territory there are numerous islands, which are home to species native to that area.

In addition to the island regions, various states are rich in endemic species, whose distribution is restricted to that geographic area. Likewise, there are natural events, such as migrations, that enrich animal populations.

For example, in the winter months, the western and central routes for the movements of North American birds to the south, pass through Mexico, thus being able to diversify their avifauna.

Most characteristic endemic animals of Mexico

Vaquita marina (

Phocoena sinus is a marine mammal native to the Upper Gulf of California, in Mexico. This species is the smallest of all cetaceans worldwide. The female is 140 centimeters long, while the male is 135 centimeters long. In relation to weight, it is around 50 kilograms.

This species is characterized by the fact that the upper part of the body is dark gray, which contrasts with the belly, which is light gray or white. Their fins are large, in proportion to the dimensions of the body. The vaquita porpoise is classified by the IUCN as critically endangered.

Mexican green macaw (

The Mexican green macaw is a subspecies of the Ara militaris. It is native to Mexico, spreading in the Pacific area, from Chihuahua to Guerrero. On the slope of the Atlantic Ocean, it is found from Tamaulipas and Nuevo León to San Luis de Potosí. In addition, it is in Morelos, Durango, Oaxaca and Puebla.

It is a large bird, with green plumage. On his forehead he has a distinctive red spot, which stands out against his pink face. As for the rowing feathers, they are bright blue.

Mexican gray wolf (

Mexican gray wolf

The Mexican gray wolf is the smallest North American subspecies of the gray wolf. In addition, it is one of the most threatened placental mammals on the continent.

Regarding the dimensions, its size ranges between 140 and 180 centimeters, considering the tail. Its weight is between 21 and 41 kilograms. Historically, in Mexico, it was found in Coahuila, Chihuahua, Nuevo León, Zacatecas, Durango, Aguascalientes, Oaxaca, the Bajío and in San Luis Potosí.

Unfortunately, the Mexican gray wolves were exterminated from their natural habitat. This occurred as a consequence of eradication campaigns, implemented in response to the predation that this wolf made to domestic livestock.

Currently, there are reinsertion programs, however, it is still considered an extinct population in the wild.

Axolotl (

Zempoala axolotl (Ambystoma Altamirani)

Source: biodiversity.morelos.gob.mx

The axolotl is a long, dark salamander. It has a cylindrical body, which is up to 30 centimeters long. Among its most outstanding characteristics are its large gills, similar to an appendage. These organs are extended from the back of the head.

The Mexican axolotl is an endemic animal of the lake system located in the Basin of Mexico, including the Xochimilco, Texcoco and Chalco lakes. However, due to the extinction of some of these regions, it currently lives only in the wetlands and channels of Xochimilco.

Ocelot (

Ocelot Source: Ana_Cotta, via Wikimedia Commons

The ocelot is a solitary animal with nocturnal habits. This medium-sized feline is native to Mexico, the United States, South America, and Central America. In Mexico, it is distributed in Sonora, Tamaulipas, Jalisco, San Luis de Potosí and in Aguascalientes.

Their fur ranges from pale to dark reddish tones. It has brown spots, with black edges. These are small on the head and legs, while the back, flanks and cheeks are elongated.

As for the neck and lower body area, they are white. The inner part of the legs has some horizontal dark stripes.

Cenzontle (

Northern nightingale.

This bird is also known as the northern nightingale. This is due to its ability to copy the calls of other birds, animals, and even humans. Its distribution in Mexico is wide, although it generally lives towards the north of the country. It is also located in North America and Cuba.

Adult specimens are gray on the upper part of the body, with light yellow eyes and a black beak. It has a dark tail, with a white edge and long black legs.

Cozumel toadfish (

Cozumel toadfish. Source: Randall McNeely

The Cozumel toadfish is approximately 24 centimeters long and inhabits the coral outcrops of the island of Cozumel. Because of this, it is also known as coral toadfish.

One aspect that differentiates this species from the rest of the Batrachoididae family is its bright coloration. Its fins are of a luminous yellow tone, which stand out on its dark body. This has a grayish-brown base coloration, with light horizontal line patterns, bordered in black.

Its head is flat and it has a wide mouth, where there are small, sharp teeth. In relation to the eyes, they are located in the upper area, looking directly upwards.

Cuitlacoche de Cozumel (

Image via thisiscozumel.com

The Cozumel cuitlacoche is a bird that belongs to the Mimidae family. Its natural habitat is the deciduous and semi-deciduous forest on the island of Cozumel, in Yucatán.

The body is between 21.5 and 24 centimeters long. In relation to plumage, the back and head are dark brown or cinnamon, with a slightly paler face. In this one, its black beak and eyes are amber.

The wings stand out for having two white stripes. As for the ventral area and the throat, they are cream-colored and have scattered dark stripes. Towards the side and chest area, this Mexican bird has thick dark bars.

This species is in serious danger of extinction, since it is strongly threatened by hurricanes and predation by some species introduced to the island, such as boas.

Gray mouse opossum (

The gray mouse opossum is a marsupial that is distributed from southern Sonora to Oaxaca. Also, it is found in Yucatán and the Marías Islands.

This mammal has a gray body and is one of the smallest of the species that make up the infraclass to which it belongs. On his face the eyes stand out, which are framed by large circles of black hair. Its ears are round, wide and hairless.

As for the tail, it is prehensile and partially covered with hair. The length of this is approximately equal to the total length of the animal.

Northern Cozumel Coati (

This placental mammal is endemic to the island of Cozumel. It is an omnivorous animal that feeds mainly on insects, snails, larvae, crustaceans, fruits, lizards and rodents. It also eats carrion, which takes advantage of the remains of animals left behind by other predators.

The body of the northern Cozumel coati is slender, with a long tail that usually features dark rings and is always erect. On the head, the muzzle is elongated and ends in a black nose. One of its main characteristics is the dark mask-shaped spot on the face.

Regarding the coloration of the dorsal region, the legs and the tail, it is dark brown, while the shoulder and head area is brown, with golden streaks.

In terms of size, it is smaller than the continental species. Thus, males are approximately 78.5 centimeters and females 74.4 centimeters.

Mexican west coast rattlesnake (

Rattlesnake Crotalus sp. Source: pixabay.com

This species is a poisonous viper belonging to the Viperidae family. It inhabits tropical thorn and deciduous forests, located from Michoacán to southern Sonora.

This rattlesnake is one of the largest of its kind. It can measure from 1.50 to 2 meters. It has a robust body, in which there are between 25 and 29 rows of keel-shaped dorsal scales.

In relation to color, it has a grayish or brown background, where 26 to 41 dark spots overlap. These are diamond shaped and the edges are clear. The belly is white and the tail is gray, with a large rattle at the end.

Mexican spiny-tailed iguana (

This Mexican reptile is distributed on the coast of the Pacific Ocean, ranging from Sinaloa to Chiapas, including the Balsas river basin. Coastal shores and low-lying forests are among their preferred habitats.

The black iguana, as this species is also known, measures around 120 centimeters. Its body is elongated and robust, with a row of elongated dorsal scales that form a crest. As for the head, it is long and covered with small hexagonal scales.

The coloration is uniformly black, with some scattered yellowish-white spots. As for its diet, it is based on foliage, insects and fruits.

Sinaloa toad (

The Sinaloa toad is characterized by the fact that on the back it has dark and light spots, unevenly distributed. The colorations of these can vary between brown and gray tones. In addition, it has dark, horny tubercles. In adulthood, it has prominent cranial ridges, with dark edges.

This amphibian, which measures between 55 and 100 millimeters long, is endemic to the Pacific coastal zone, north of Sonora, south of Colima and southwest of Chihuahua. It usually lives in streams, ditches, agricultural canals, rivers, and reservoirs. As for its food, it eats beetles, ants and other insects.

Cecilia oaxaqueña (

Cecilia oaxaqueña is a species that is part of the Dermophiidae family. It is native to the southwestern region of Mexico, spreading on the Pacific slopes and in the Balsas depression, in Jalisco, Guerrero, Michoacán, Chiapas and Oaxaca.

It has a robust blue-black body that can measure around 454 millimeters. This is made up of rings, from 119 to 139 primary and 101 to 133 secondary. As for the head, it is large and has a subminal mouth and eyes covered by a layer of skin.

Thick-billed parrot (

This bird is distributed in pine and fir forests, located at a height of up to 3600 meters. Its habitat is restricted to the Sierra Madre Occidental, Durango and Chihuahua.

This species has a bright green coloration, with a thick, black bill. Likewise, it has red feathers on the forehead, on the upper part of the wings and in a band that is located on the upper part of the leg. In relation to the tail, it is black.

The mountain parakeet, as this species is also called, is among the animals that are in danger of becoming extinct, according to the IUCN.

T

This species, endemic to the Cuatro Ciénagas region (Chihuahua), is part of the group of reptiles in danger of extinction. The black turtle, as it is also known, has a short and narrow carapace, brown, almost black in color. The plastron is yellow, with some dark spots.

Terrapene coahuila lives in swamps and shallow ponds, where aquatic vegetation abounds and the bottoms are muddy. In relation to food, it is omnivorous and scavenger. 51% of their diet corresponds to insects, while plant species represent 46%.

Emerald Tree Frog (

This amphibian is characterized by having a flat head, a spotted snout, a tarsal pouch, and by lacking an extensive axillary membrane. Regarding the coloration, it is bright, in yellowish or green bronze tones. Likewise, it could have or lack dark reticulations at the dorsal level.

The emerald tree frog is endemic to the Mexican Pacific, from the Sierra Madre Occidental, the Cordillera Volcánica de Sinaloa and the Sierra de Coalcomán, to Morelos and Michoacán.

Orange breasted bunting (

This passerine bird is part of the Cardinalidae family. It is native to the south and the western part of Mexico. Thus, it is distributed on the Pacific Ocean slope of the Sierra Madre del Sur, from Oaxaca to Jalisco. In addition, it is located south of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec and in the state of Chiapas.

The male's coloration makes him unmistakable. This one, in the upper part, is turquoise blue and green, while in the lower part it has an intense yellow hue. For its part, the female wears more opaque colors. The upper area is olive green and the lower area is yellow, with a bluish tail.

Lilac-crowned parrot

The lilac-crowned parrot lives in western Mexico, ranging from Sonora and Chihuahua to Oaxaca. However, it has become extinct in a large part of its original distribution.

This bird is medium in size, measuring approximately 13 inches long, head to tail, and weighing an average of 310 grams. It is characterized by the red color it has on the forehead and the lilac crown, which extends to the sides of the neck.

When the animal opens its wings, the blue color of the tips of the primary feathers can be observed. Also, the red patches of the secondary feathers are appreciated.

Yucatan Corzuela (

This placental mammal is a small deer native to the Mexican state of Yucatán. Like most members of the Cervidae family, the Yucatán corzuela lives in humid tropical forests. However, this species spreads through open and arid regions.

The yuk or temazate deer, as this species is also known, has small antlers and its fur is brown in color. In relation to food, it is a herbivorous animal. Its diet is based on leaves, flowers, mushrooms, herbs and fruits.

Pygmy raccoon

This species is native to the island of Cozumel, located in the coastal area of the Yucatan peninsula.

The pygmy raccoon is similar to the common raccoon, except that it has a more rounded snout and is smaller. In relation to size, the male is almost 20% heavier than the female. Thus, it measures 58 to 82 centimeters, including the tail, and weighs 3 to 4 kilograms.

In addition, it can be distinguished from the rest of its kind by the wide black band on its throat and by its tail, which has a golden hue.

Spiky quetzal (

This bird, which is part of the Trogonidae family, breeds in the canyons and pine forests of the Sierra Madre Occidental, west and south of Michoacán.

The spiky quetzal is a species that lacks the imposing, iridescent long tail and wing coverts that characterize members of the genus Pharomachrus, where the resplendent quetzal is included.

Regarding the plumage, the back is green and the tail has dark blue central feathers and the external ones are white. The male has a black head, an iridescent green chest, and a shade of red on the belly and tail coverts. As for the female, the chest and abdomen are red and the head is gray.

This species is known as the long-eared quetzal, because both sexes have ear plumes, similar to hair.

Magdalena rat (

This rodent lives in low deciduous and deciduous forests in the states of Colima and Jalisco.

One of the characteristics that distinguishes this species is the whitish spot located above the eye ring, which is brown in color. This whitish area is about the same size as the eye.

In relation to the coat, the dorsal areas are tan-reddish or golden, while the back is mixed with hairs that have a black tip. The belly is white and its long tail is dark brown.

Coralillo del Balsas (

The Balsas coral is a snake that measures between 500 and 700 millimeters, although the adults could measure up to 728 millimeters. The characteristic that distinguishes this species is that on the tail they present yellow and black bands, forming triads.

This snake lives in the states of Colima and Jalisco. Also, it is widely distributed in the Balsas river basin, which includes the states of Guerrero, Michoacán, Morelos, Oaxaca and Puebla.

Mexican red knee tarantula (

This arachnid resides in burrows, located in rocky areas of deserts, bushes or in dry forests. Its distribution in Mexico covers the entire coast of the central Pacific Ocean. Its common name is due to the fact that the joints of the legs are dark orange-red in color.

The Mexican red knee tarantula is large in size, measuring between 12.7 and 14 centimeters in length. The abdomen is black and is covered with brown hairs. As for the abdomen, it has a cream tone, where a black square spot stands out.

Mexican fishing bat (

Myotis vivesi lives on small islands located along the entire coast of the Gulf of California, thus encompassing the Mexican states of Baja California, Sonora and Baja California Sur. Also, there are small populations between Punta Coyote Island and Encantada Island, on the Pacific coast.

This mammal has large legs, with sharp claws. The posterior ones can measure up to 23 millimeters. Like other bats that feed on fish and crustaceans, it has long wings that, together with its legs, contribute efficiently to the capture of its prey.

Shrew of Los Tuxtlas (

This Mexican species is distributed in the Los Tuxtlas region, located in the state of Veracruz. The Los Tuxtlas shrew is medium in size, with a total body length of 160 millimeters and a weight that ranges between 3 and 5 grams. On the head, it has a pointed and elongated snout, small eyes and inconspicuous ears.

Regarding coloration, the back varies from light gray to dark gray, while the belly has a paler tone.

The Cozumel emerald (

The Cozumel emerald is an endemic bird to the islands of Cozumel and the Mujeres Islands, located off the Yucatan peninsula.

This species of hummingbird has a body that measures 8 to 9.5 centimeters. It has a long and straight bill. Regarding their plumage, the males are more striking than the females. Thus the male is bright green, while the females are green, with a light gray belly.

Cozumel Harvester Mouse (

This rodent, native to the island of Cozumel, belongs to the Cricetidae family. It is a semi arboreal species and has nocturnal habits. Its habitat is secondary forests and forest edges.

The upper parts of the body are brownish-ocher, while the lower parts are grayish-white. In relation to the tail, it is long, considering the body length. It is dark brown on top and paler underneath.

Dwarf Mexican tree frog (

This amphibian is native to the Pacific coast of Mexico. Thus, it is distributed from the central area of Sinaloa, throughout the Pacific lowlands, to the southern area of Oaxaca. In the interior of Mexico, this frog is found in the Balsas-Tepalcatepec basin, located in Puebla and Morelos.

In these regions it inhabits tropical dry forests, preferring small streams and flooded grasslands. Much of its natural habitat is fragmented and destroyed, so this species is within the special category of protection.

The Tlalocohyla smithii is characterized by its bright yellow color and its small size, since it measures between 26 and 31 centimeters.

Flat-headed bat (Myotis planiceps)

Image via naturalista.mx

Flying mammal of brown and black color that is characterized by being one of the smallest bats in the world.

In turn, it is considered one of the most difficult animals to capture. Its rarity is such that its first appearance was recorded in 1952 and it was not seen again until 1966.

Peeping white-lipped frog (Litoria infrafrenata)

It is an endangered amphibian found only in the Pedregal de San Miguel areas, in southern Mexico. Being a natural reserve, this animal is under the protection of the Mexican government.

Guadalupe sea lion (Arctophoca philippii townsendi)

Colloquially known as a false seal, it is a species of marine mammal that is located on the island of Guadalupe, which makes it geographically remote.

It is the only one of its kind that has not been thoroughly studied because it is isolated and does not emigrate. It is currently protected by Mexican law, which saved it from becoming extinct.

Mexican Prairie Dog (Cynomys mexicanus)

It is a small and light rodent located in Coahuila, Nuevo León and San Luis Potosí. They are diurnal animals that feed on grasses, grass, seeds, etc.

Their name "puppy" comes from the sound they make when they feel in danger. They are grouped in colonies, which makes them very social.

San José Island Kangaroo Rat (Dipodomys insularis)

It is a mammal located only on the Island of San José, which makes it another endemic Mexican species. It is also one of the smallest kangaroo rats in the world. It lives in hot desert areas with low vegetation, it feeds on seeds and bushes.

Volcano rabbit (Romerolagus diazi)

It is one of the smallest rabbits in the world and is located around four volcanoes in Mexico: the Tlaloc, the Pelado, the Iztaccihuatl and the Popocatepetl.

Its ears are rounded, it has almost no tail and its legs are very short. It inhabits around 3,000 meters above sea level in wooded areas that cover the volcanic slopes.

Yucatecan rattle (Campylorhynchus yucatanicus)

It is a bird of approximately 18 centimeters that is located in coastal areas of the Yucatan peninsula. They are usually found in pairs or small groups near xerophytic vegetation. It usually makes its nest in closed places, such as caves.

References

Auren Cocking (2019). 11 Awesome Native Animals You Must See in Mexico. Recovered from theculturetrip.com.
National Commission of Protected Natural Areas (2019). Turtles: prehistoric reptiles. Recovered from gob.mx.
BirdLife International 2018. Toxostoma guttatum. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018. Recovered from iucnredlist.org.
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.

30 ENDEMIC ANIMALS OF MEXICO AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS - BIOLOGY - 2025