Although the main part of my final report on the herpetofauna of Michoacán will deal with the geographical and ecological patterns of distribution of the herpetofauna, a brief summary of the faunal assemblages is presented here.
In Michoacán there are two major faunal assemblages, one in the lowlands, and one in the highlands. A large number of the species inhabiting the lowlands are wide-ranging species, such as Bufo marinus, Iguana iguana, and Boa constrictor. Sixty-three species are known to occur on the Pacific Coastal Plain; 41 of these, together with 36 others occur in the Balsas-Tepalcatepec Basin, a physiographic region to which several species of reptiles are endemic; for example, Enyaliosaurus clarki, Urosaurus gadowi, Cnemidophorus calidipes, and Eumeces altamirani.
Generally speaking, the members of the highland faunal assemblage have more restricted geographic ranges. The major exceptions are those species that are widely distributed on the Mexican Plateau, such as: Bufo compactilis, Sceloporus torquatus, and Salvadora bairdi. In the montane habitats of the Cordillera Volcánica, 45 species of amphibians and reptiles are known; 34 species have been found in the Sierra de Coalcomán. Fourteen species are known to occur in both ranges. Several species are known only from the Cordillera Volcánica and adjacent highlands, and three species are endemic to the Sierra de Coalcomán.
ANNOTATED LIST OF SPECIES
In the following pages the 176 species and subspecies of amphibians and reptiles known to occur in the state of Michoacán are discussed in relation to their variation, life histories, ecology, and distribution in the state. Data have been gathered from 9676 specimens. I have not prolonged the accounts of species with information that has been presented elsewhere. Consequently, the length and completeness of the accounts are variable. I have given only the information that I consider a worthwhile contribution to our knowledge of the particular species.
The synonymies given at the beginning of each account include the first use of the trivial name by the original author, the first usage of the combination that I am using, and, if the circumstances make it necessary, additional names or combinations that have been proposed since the publication of the checklists of Mexican amphibians and reptiles by Smith and Taylor (1945, 1948, and 1950b). References cited only in the synonymies are not listed in the Literature Cited. Preceding the discussion of each species is an alphabetical list of the localities in Michoacán from which specimens have been examined. The listing of a locality means that one or more specimens, as indicated, has been examined from that locality. Only for those specimens especially mentioned in the text are catalogue numbers given. Abbreviations for the various museums and scientific collections are, as follows:
AMNH American Museum of Natural History
ANSP Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia
BMNH British Museum (Natural History)
CNHM Chicago Natural History Museum
EHT-HMS Edward H. Taylor-Hobart M. Smith collection
JRD James R. Dixon collection, College Station, Texas
KU University of Kansas Museum of Natural History
MCZ Museum of Comparative Zoology
MVZ Museum of Vertebrate Zoology
NMW Naturhistorisches Museum Wien
SU Stanford University Museum of Natural History
TCWC Texas Cooperative Wildlife Collection
UIMNH University of Illinois Museum of Natural History
UMMZ University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
USNM United States National Museum
UTNHC University of Texas Natural History Collection
Throughout the accounts of the species all measurements are given in millimeters; if the range of variation is given, the mean follows in parentheses.