Taxonomic distinctiveness and phylogenetic variability of amphibians and reptiles in the cloud forest of Mexico

The cloud forest shows a great diversity of groups and has been considered as centers of high richness and endemism, throughout Asia, Africa and mainly in the Americas. To determine the specific and phylogenetic richness as well as the association in the composition of species of amphibians and reptiles in this environment in Mexico, using databases we analyzed species richness, taxonomic distinctiveness and phylogenetic species variability and richness of amphibians and reptiles in 13 regions containing cloud forest in Mexico, and the similarity among the regions. The results show high species richness of both groups (231 amphibians and 310 reptiles) respect another environment in Mexico, mainly in the southern of Mexico in Northern Mountains of Oaxaca, Coastal Sierra Madre del Sur and Sierra Madre of Chiapas. Regarding taxonomic distinctiveness in amphibians, the Basins of Ocosingo, High Huasteca of Hidalgo and Central Veracruz regions presented representatives values from regional diversity, while in reptiles these values were from regions Basins of Ocosingo, Central Veracruz and Northern Mountains of Oaxaca. The regions Northern Mountains of Oaxaca, Coastal Sierra Madre del Sur and Sierra Madre of Chiapas showed the highest values of phylogenetic species richness. In amphibians, the regions Upper Balsas Basin and Eastern Sierra Madre showed the highest values of phylogenetic species variability, and in reptiles was for regions Northern Mountains and Central Highlands of Chiapas, Eastern Sierra Madre, High Huasteca of Hidalgo and Central Veracruz. In both groups, the similarity analysis showed a high relationship between the southeastern regions of Mexico than the rest of regions. The analyzed cloud forest regions present different values of species richness and taxonomic distinctiveness, highlighting the regions of southern of Mexico. These results help us to propose areas for conservation of both groups, and so, to conserve the species richness, taxonomy and phylogenetic diversity in this environment, providing key elements for conservation planners.

Automated summary

Cloud forests in Mexico have a high species richness of amphibians and reptiles, with the southern regions of Mexico being particularly diverse. The results of this study provide important information for conservation planners to protect the species richness and phylogenetic diversity in this environment.