FLORA AND FAUNA OF YUCATÁN: MOST REPRESENTATIVE SPECIES - BIOLOGY - 2024

The flora and fauna of Yucatan is varied and abundant. The flora is represented by species such as San Diego, coralillo, ikabán, sandiíta and chichibé. And in the fauna, the flamenco, the red octopus, the Yucatecan parrot, the boa, the tree frog and the rattle stand out.

Yucatán is located in the southeast of Mexico. It was one of the most important regions of the Mayan civilization. Its climate is warm and subhumid, located between 24 and 28 ºC.

17% of the mammals and 50% of the birds of all Mexico reside in Yucatan. With regard to flora, this state has 1120 different species, representing 6% of the national total of plants.

The 5 most important flowers of Yucatán

1- San Diego

Called "makal" by the Mayans, it is recognized by its pink flowers. It is a climbing plant that grows as a weed.

It is used today for its medicinal properties to cure colds and respiratory conditions.

2- Coralillo

Its scientific name is rivina humulis. It grows like wild grass and its flowering is small white or pink. It is also called a bajatripa or chilillo.

3- Ikaban

From the Mayan language "iik aban", it grows like a 1 meter high bush. Its flowers are tiny white. It is scientifically identified as croton humilis.

4- Sandiíta

It is also called wild cucumber and in the Mayan language its name was «kuum tulum». His family are the cucurbits.

Its flower is small, yellow and with five petals. The whole plant serves as food for different ruminant animals.

5- Chichibé

Its name is of Mayan origin, but it is also known as horse mallow.

Its flowers are yellow and open only one hour a day, at noon. It was used by the Mayans to relieve tooth pain.

The 6 main animals of Yucatan

1- Flamenco

It measures 1.30 meters and weighs 2 kilograms. Its color varies between red and pink. Consume insects, shrimp, and small plants.

2- Red octopus

Its scientific name is Mayan octupus and it is endemic to this region.

Its fishing generates about 20 thousand jobs since it is one of the main products that Yucatan exports to Europe and Japan.

3- Yucatecan parrot

Its plumage is green with yellow, red and white details on its head. They are often seen flying in packs or pairs at low altitudes. They eat fruits and seeds.

4- Boas

Yucatecan boa snakes live in humid areas and are about 2 meters tall. They are a family of the boidae. They do not represent any danger to man.

5- Tree frog

The Yucatecan tree frog measures between 50 and 70 millimeters. It has thin and long limbs.

It has large eyes that protrude from its skull. Its characteristic color is brown or gray with gray touches in the form of spots.

6- Ratchet

It is a small ocher-colored bird that lives in the thickets of the dunes of the Yucatan coast.

This endemic bird of the region deserves its name from the particular song it emits to defend its territory. It feeds on insects and fruits.

References

1. Ceccon, E; Olmsted I; Vazquez, C; Campo, J. (sf). Vegetation and soil properties in two tropical dry forest in Yucatan. Mexico: UNAM. Retrieved on October 31, 2017 from: physics.unam.mx
2. Lee, J. (1996). The amphibians and reptiles of the Yucatan Peninsula. New York: Ithaca
3. Flores, G; Salvador, J. (1994). Types of vegetation of the Yucatan Peninsula. Mérida: Autonomous University of Yucatán. Retrieved on October 31, 2017 from: books.google.es
4. Yucatan´s wild life. Retrieved on October 31, 2017 from: yucatanadventure.com.mx
5. Durán, R. (2000). Floristic list of the Yucatan peninsula. Mérida: Yucatan Scientific Research Center.