File:An ecogeographic analysis of the herpetofauna of the Yucatan Peninsula (1980) (21114868996).jpg

Title: An ecogeographic analysis of the herpetofauna of the Yucatan Peninsula
Identifier: ecogeographicana00leej (find matches)
Year: 1980 (1980s)
Authors: Lee, Julian C
Subjects: Amphibians; Amphibians; Reptiles; Reptiles
Publisher: Lawrence : University of Kansas
Contributing Library: Harvard University, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Ernst Mayr Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Harvard University, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Ernst Mayr Library

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YUCATAN HERPETOFAUNA 35
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Triprion spatulatus Enyaliosaurus clarki Eumeces altamirani Cnemidophorus costatus Fig. 21.—The Yucatan-West Mexico pattern of distribution. Extra-peninsular distributions are rough approximations. limits of this mesophilic genus. Thus, two mesic-adapted species are confined to the north end of the peninsula, but have their closest relatives in wetter areas to the south. An additional spe- cies, presumably mesophilic, existed at the north end of the peninsula until sometime in the Pleistocene. The foregoing distribution patterns involving peninsular endemics or species with isolated populations in the penin- sula can be summarized as follows: (1) Five species pairs exhibit a Yucatan- West Mexico pattern. Two additional pairs may also exhibit this pattern. (2) Two, and perhaps three, species have a Yucatan-East Mexico pattern of distri- bution. (3) Two species centered on the north end of the peninsula have their closest relatives at the base of the penin- sula or immediately adjacent. (4) Within the peninsula five species are widespread at the north end and occur as isolates to the south; six species are widespread through the base of the peninsula and occur as isolates to the north. (5) Two species are widespread through the high- lands of Central America and occur in apparent isolation in the Maya Moun- tains of Belize. DISCUSSION The intra- and interspecific disjunc- tions identified above involve pairs of species, or sets of populations which, al- though separated geographically, occur in similar environments. These patterns represent the remnants of once continu- ous distributions that have become frag- mented. In isolation, the fragmented populations have differentiated to vari- ous degrees to produce species pairs (e.g., Triprion petasatus and T. spatula-

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