Fauna Of Mexico Part 7

Welcome to part seven of the list of the neat fauna found in Mexico. While you might know about the resorts and beaches, Mexico is also a paradise for biodiversity. While it's tough to see everything, you never know when you might get a chance to go on a guided nature walk. Don't forget your camera!

Puerto Hondo Stream Salamander

This salamander is only found in two small streams in the Mexican state of Michoacan; they are high in the mountains in the western part of the state, and are a nationally protected species due to their small numbers. The Puerto Hondo Stream Salamander is a unique creature, reaching about 6.7 inches long as an adult. Most of them do not undergo metamorphosis, and retain both their youthful gills and some form of lungs. The gills are bushy and usually bright red; the salamander's body is dark or black, and may have some mottling left over from larval stages. The Puerto Hondo Stream Salamander feeds on grasshoppers, leafhoppers, ants, and earthworms, as well as small aquatic beetles and certain clams.

Lake Patzcuaro Salamander

Locally known as Achoque, this neotenic salamander is found in Lago de Patzcuaro, a lake in the state of Michoacan. Normal salamander development involves an aquatic larval stage, followed by the development of lungs so that adulthood is spent on land. However, the Lake Patzcuaro Salamander retains its gills throughout its life; in adulthood, these external gills are long and filamented. The Patzcuaro Salamander is yellow-colored, with a large head and small limbs used for swimming. It feeds on aquatic invertebrates through suction.

Desert Grassland Whiptail Lizard

If you were a woman, surrounded solely by females, what would you do to ensure the continuation of your species? Single-gendered species are typically invertebrates or simple organisms; however, there are some advanced species of reptile that consist solely of females, including the Mexican Desert Grassland Whiptail Lizard. These small reptiles reproduce through a process called parthenogenesis; the chromosomes in their eggs double in number without the need for sperm, and grow into offspring without fertilization. But that's not to say that the Desert Grassland Whiptails don't have a sense of romance; scientists have observed females courting each other and displaying behaviors which closely resemble male-female mating rituals. This behavior may in fact increase ovulation rates. Komodo dragons, rock lizards, and bonnethead sharks can also reproduce in this manner.

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

This medium-sized hummingbird is commonly found along river banks and in the woodlands of East Mexico, and down into Columbia and Venezuela. Coffee plantations and gardens are also favorite spots for them to be found. The Rufous-tailed Hummingbird is about four inches long and weights only one-fifth of an ounce. It is a colorful bird, with a green throat, gray belly, green-gold back, and purple-orange wings. The beak is red with a black tip; drinking nectar from flowers and occasionally catching insects for protein, we also have the hummingbirds.

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