The British Herpetological Society

The Herpetological Journal is the Society's prestigious quarterly scientific journal. Articles are listed in Biological Abstracts, Current Awareness in Biological Sciences,Current Contents, Science Citation Index, and Zoological Record.

 ISSN 0268-0130

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pdf 01.Potential distribution of hybrids between Crocodylus acutus and Crocodylus moreletii on the Mexican Pacific coast outside the natural hybridisation zone

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.33256/32.3.93101

pp. 93-101

Authors: Gerardo J. Soria-Ortiz, Patricia G. García-Navarrete, Leticia M. Ochoa-Ochoa & Armando Rincón-Gutiérrez

Abstract: In Mexico, Crocodylus acutus is widely distributed along the Pacific coast, while C. moreletii occurs on the Gulf of Mexico. Both species converge in the Yucatán peninsula where natural hybridisation is reported, and later it was also reported in the Gulf of Mexico. Unfortunately, due to translocations and stochastic events, currently there are hybrids of both species on the coast of Oaxaca and Guerrero. In this study, we evaluated the potential colonisation areas of the hybrids on the Pacific coast through ecological niche analyses. The results indicate that the hybrid crocodiles and the parent species share preferences in at least three climatic variables: average temperature range, isothermality, and minimum temperature of the coldest month. Furthermore, it was found that the climatic niche of the hybrids is more similar to that of the C. moreletii leaving reminiscent areas for C. moreletii in Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí and small areas far from the coast in Veracruz, coinciding with what was previously reported by molecular analysis. On the other hand, the climatic niche of the hybrid crocodiles is also sufficiently similar to that of C. acutus, having the possibility to colonise the Pacific coast extensively, leaving reminiscent small areas for C. acutus on the northern coast of Sinaloa, southern of Sonora, central coast of Oaxaca and small inland areas of the Pacific coast.

Keywords: Crocodilians, ecological niche, hybrids, species model distributions, conservation, Mexico

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IMPORTANT NOTE - JUNE 2020

Please note that as from Volume 31 Number 1 (January 2021) on, the Herpetological Journal will be available as an online publication only - the last print edition will be Volume 30 Number 4.   

Aligning with this change, it is now no longer possible to purchase a subscription that includes a print copy of the HJ.  All members who have existing HJ print subscriptions that remain active as at end June 2020 will receive the full four 2020 print editions.  New subscribers or renewals after this time will only have option to subscribe to the online only subscription package.  Subscription pricing has been amended to reflect the content changes.

 

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