Search Results (8)

Bursera bipinnata (DC.) Engl. (B. bipinnata), commonly known as “copal chino,” is a widely distributed Mexican tree found in transitional zones between pine-oak and deciduous forests. It is valued for its high-quality copal resin, traditionally used in ceremonies and offerings. Additionally, B. bipinnata is recognized for its significant value in traditional medicine, particularly in treating ailments associated with inflammation. In this work, the inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) production of the volatile fraction and resin of B. bipinnata in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophage cells were demonstrated. In contrast, the volatile fraction exhibited 37.43 ± 7.13% inhibition at a concentration of 40 µg/mL. Chromatographic analyses of the total resin enabled the chemical characterization of eleven pentacyclic triterpenes belonging to the ursane, oleanane, and lupane series, as well as eight monoterpenes. Notably, the structures of compounds 15, 17, and 29–35 are reported for the first time from the resin of Bursera bipinnata. The anti-inflammatory activity observed for B. bipinnata resin in this study may be attributed to its high content of the triterpenes α-amyrin (15, 29.7%) and 3-epilupeol (17, 38.1%), both known for their anti-inflammatory properties. These findings support the traditional use of this copal resin. Full article

The Canthon indigaceus species group represents a Typical Neotropical distributional pattern with wide penetration into the Mexican Transition Zone. This group consists of three species: C. (C.) indigaceus LeConte; C. (C.) chiapas Robinson; and C. (C.) chevrolati Harold. In this study, a new species for the group is described, C. (C.) cuixmala, collected along the tropical region of the Pacific coast and the Balsas River basin. The taxonomic status of members of the group were evaluated by comparing morphological characteristics and their biogeographic distributions. An updated dichotomous key is provided to separate members of this species group. Full article

The Balsas Basin (BB) is a biogeographic province in south-central Mexico that straddles the Mexican Transition Zone and the Neotropical region. We provide a list of the amphibian and reptile species of the BB based on a detailed review and update of recent species lists of its constituent states. The BB is home to 51 native amphibian and 155 native reptile species, which represent 14.7% of the herpetofauna of Mexico. No amphibian and six reptile species are endemic to the BB. Six species of amphibians and seven of reptiles are categorized as being of conservation concern status (vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered) on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List. The main threat these species face is habitat loss due to urbanization, agriculture, and pollution. The herpetofauna of the BB shows significant overlap with neighboring provinces. The composition of amphibian species in the BB is closest to that of the Pacific Lowlands, whereas the composition of reptile species is closest to the Sierra Madre del Sur and the Transvolcanic Belt. These findings suggest that while the BB supports significant amphibian and reptile diversity, its conservation importance may be limited due to the low levels of endemism and the relatively small proportion of species at risk. Full article

This study compiles and updates the checklist of ferns and lycophytes from the Sierra Madre Occidental (SMOc). For this, we revised information on these taxa from regional floristic studies, databases, and herbaria. Our updated list includes 312 species, of which 276 are ferns and 36 are lycophytes integrated into 27 families and 75 genera. The richest families are Pteridaceae (118), Polypodiaceae (31), Selaginellaceae (30), Aspleniaceae (25), and Dryopteridaceae (25). The three most diverse genera were Selaginella (30), Asplenium (25), and Myriopteris (22). The species-rich Mexican states that include the SMOc are Durango (166 species), Chihuahua (149), and Jalisco (146). As in other tropical mountains, species richness in the SMOc is concentrated at the elevation interval of 1500 to 2000 m (236 species). The mid-mountain vegetation forests (Quercus and Pinus-Quercus forests) harbor the most pteridoflora richness (52% of the species). Four species of ferns are listed as threatened in the Mexican Official Norm NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010, 17 species are listed in the IUCN, and only one tree ferns are in CITES. The SMOc has a Nearctic affinity, and its fern and lycophyte diversity are lower than in other Mexican Transition Zone mountain chains, such as the Sierra Madre del Sur, the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, and the Sierra Madre Oriental. Notwithstanding, its biological composition is unique and distinctive. The species number reported in the SMOc represents 31% of the pteridoflora diversity recorded in Mexico. Full article

The unplanned development of a port city generates urban growth in its coastal zone that stresses the local biotic and abiotic resources, affecting the nesting beach areas of sea turtles. This work evaluated the impact of social collaboration on sea turtle conservation in response to coastal rigidization. Over the past twenty years, the Manzanillo Port (Colima), located in the Mexican Central Pacific, underwent vigorous development and urbanization. This growth has produced stressors including increasing levels of marine noise pollution due to the transit of merchant ships, the decrease in 4.3 ha in beach areas, and increased light pollution, which likely reduced the number of turtles that reached the nesting stage. Despite the above, the number of turtle nests has increased thanks to social collaboration through protection actions, education programs, and the participation of volunteers along with public and private organizations supported by the media and social networks. These actions are part of citizen science and contribute to the balance between urban development and the protection of sea turtles, reducing environmental vulnerability in the coastal zone. This success story can be reproduced in coastal cities for other wildlife species to achieve a social-ecological benefit through advocacy projects that involve the empowerment of local inhabitants and the appropriation of their landscapes and natural elements. These projects will contribute to alleviating the effects of coastal rigidization in the face of future challenges that will require solutions to different environmental aspects of imminent climate change. Full article

In this study, data are presented for the designation of the new subgenus (Bajacanthon) for Canthon obliquus Horn, 1894 (Deltochilini). The new subgenus Bajacanthon is described based on a multiple evidence approach using morphological and molecular characters. This new subgenus has some unique characters, and is the remnant of an old South American migratory movement into the Mexican Transition Zone. This beetle species has survived in isolation in the south half of the peninsula of Baja California (Mexico). Results based on molecular clock inference showed that the split between the lineages leading to the subgenus Bajacanthon and Boreocanthon took place nearly 16 Mya, whereas the radiation within Bajacanthon was dated to 3.7 Mya. Full article

Plumolepilius Barrios-Izás & Anderson, 2016 is a leaf litter weevil genus that inhabits montane broadleaf forests from southern Mexico to northern Panama. The genus consists of 27 species, 22 distributed in the Chiapas Highlands province (Mexican Transition Zone) and 5 found in the Pacific dominion (Neotropical region) in Costa Rica and Panamá. Here, we analyze the phylogenetic relationships of the species of Plumolepilius based on 20 external body characters and 9 characters from the genitalia. The first dichotomy of the cladogram separates two species from the Pacific dominion from the remaining species of Plumolepilius from the Chiapas Highlands province and three species restricted to the Pacific dominion. We hypothesize that redundant distributions in the taxon-area cladogram of the genus may be due to dispersal events, probably during the Pleistocene glaciations. Full article

Danburite is a calcium borosilicate that forms within the transition zones of metacarbonates and pegmatites as a late magmatic accessory mineral. We present here trace element contents obtained by femtosecond laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma (ICP)-mass spectrometry for danburite from Mexico, Tanzania, and Vietnam. The Tanzanian and Vietnamese samples show high concentrations of rare earth elements (∑REEs 1900 µg∙g⁻¹ and 1100 µg∙g⁻¹, respectively), whereas Mexican samples are depleted in REEs (<1.1 µg∙g⁻¹). Other traces include Al, Sr, and Be, with Al and Sr dominating in Mexican samples (325 and 1611 µg∙g⁻¹, respectively). Volatile elements, analyzed using a CHNS elemental analyzer, reach <3000 µg∙g⁻¹. Sr and Al are incorporated following Ca²⁺ = Sr²⁺ and 2 B³⁺ + 3 O²⁻ = Al³⁺ + 3 OH⁻ + □ (vacancy). REEs replace Ca²⁺ with a coupled substitution of B³⁺ by Be²⁺. Cerium is assumed to be present as Ce⁴⁺ in Tanzanian samples based on the observed Be/REE molar ratio of 1.5:1 following 2 Ca²⁺ + 3 B³⁺ = Ce⁴⁺ + REE³⁺ + 3 Be²⁺. In Vietnamese samples, Ce is present as Ce³⁺ seen in a Be/REE molar ratio of 1:1, indicating a substitution of Ca²⁺ + B³⁺ = REE³⁺ + Be²⁺. Our results imply that the trace elements of danburite reflect different involvement of metacarbonates and pegmatites among the different locations. Full article