The Moctezuma River and its tributaries have carved deep canyons through the Sierra Madre, which allow moist air from the Gulf of Mexico to flow further west into the plateaus and mountains, including the Sierra Gorda, and the moist forests extend westwards along the river valleys.
The northernmost extension of the Veracruz moist forests occurs in the El Cielo Biosphere and the Sierra de Tamaulipas at a latitude of about 23° 20′ degrees north.[2]
Climate
The climate of the region is tropical and humid, with rains during seven months of the year and mild variation in temperature. Average annual rainfall is 1,100–1,600 mm (43–63 in).[2]
Gallery
Rio Guayalejo and Cerro del Bernal, Municipality of González, Tamaulipas (17 April 2001)
Mexican box turtle (Terrapene mexicana), southern Tamaulipas (30 May 2005).
Scorpion mud turtle (Kinosternon scorpioides), southern Tamaulipas (23 September 2004).
Mexican spiny-tailed iguana (Ctenosaura acanthura) Municipality of Ocampo, Tamaulipas (13 September 2007).
Morelet's crocodile (Crocodylus moreletii), Laguna del Carppintero, Tamaulipas (21 May 2007).
Central American boa constrictor (Boa imperator), Municipality of Gómez Farías, Tamaulipas (23 August 2007).
Taylor's cantil (Agkistrodon taylori) southern Tamaulipas (24 October 2004).
Totonacan rattlesnake (Crotalus totonacus) southern Tamaulipas (10 July 2005).
Amphibians: Although salamander diversity in Mexico is among the highest in the world, they mostly occur in mountainous areas.[6] The broadfoot mushroomtongue salamander (Bolitoglossa platydactyla), a lungless salamander of the Plethodontidae family, occupies the coastal lowlands from sea level up to about 1000 meters from southern Tamaulipas to the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.[7] The distribution of the southern subspecies of the black-spotted newt (Notophthalmus meridionalis kallerti) nearly matches that of the Veracruz moist forests region. There are also enigmatic reports of an isolated population of the lesser siren (Siren intermedia) from central Veracruz.[8]Anuran, or frog diversity in the region is higher and among the species found in this area are the Gulf Coast toad (Incilius nebulifer), cane toad (Rhinella horribilis), white-lipped frog (Leptodactylus fragilis), sabinal frog (Leptodactylus melanonotus), elegant narrow-mouthed toad (Gastrophryne elegans), sheep frog (Hypopachus variolosus), and the burrowing toad (Rhinophrynus dorsalis).[5] Godman's treefrog (Tlalocohyla godmani), can be found in the broad-leafed evergreen forest on the coastal lowlands with the painted treefrog (Tlalocohyla picta), Stauffer's treefrog (Scinax staufferi), and Mexican treefrog (Smilisca baudinii).[7][9] The veined treefrog (Trachycephalus typhonius) is a large species that produces sticky, mucous, skin secretions, presumed to deter desiccation in the dry season, as well as being a toxin to predators.[7]
Fishes: The Rio Tamesí/Pánuco system contains at least 85 species of freshwater fishes (although some of these occur in interior headwaters west of this region), where temperate and tropical taxa mingle and endemism is high.[10] One source list 93 species in the Guayalejo-Temesí watershed of Tamaulipas alone, but this includes brackish-marine species.[11] Many of the streams and rivers of this region are spring fed by karsticaquifers, providing consistent and relatively thermally stable water compared to other basins sourced largely by precipitation.[10] The karstic environment of the Sierra Madre Oriental produces many caves and subterranean waterways that ultimately surface near the base of the mountains in the west of this region. Some fish like the endemic phantom blindcat (Prietella lundbergi) are adapted to caves and have been collected at depths of 50 meters in cave systems of the Rio Frio (in the Rio Guayalejo drainage). Some populations of the Mexican tetra (Astyanax mexicanus [= A. jordani]) also inhabit caves and are blind, although other populations of the same species living in surface streams have eyes, while still other populations are intermediate.[10][11] The region is rich in platyfish and swordtail (Xiphophorus) diversity including sheepshead swordtail (Xiphophorus birchmanni), delicate swordtail (Xiphophorus cortezi), mountain swordtail (Xiphophorus nezahualcoyotl), and the endemic variable platyfish (Xiphophorus variatus). Cichlid diversity is also high in this area including the lowland cichlid (Herichthys carpintis) and endemic species like the chairel cichlid (Herichthys [Nosferatu] pantostictus) and Nautla cichlid (Herichthys deppii) among others. Other fishes include the pigmy shiner (Notropis tropicus), Forlón gambusia (Gambusia regani), gulf gambusia (Gambusia vittata), chubsucker minnow (Dionda erimyzonops), and the endemic lantern minnow (Dionda ipni).[10][11] Conservation threats of fishes include, damming of waterways, water diversion for agriculture, runoff associated with agriculture and livestock, oil and industrial contamination, invasive species, and irresponsible recreational activities.[11]
Broadfoot mushroomtongue salamander (Bolitoglossa platydactyla), municipality of Ocampo, Tamaulipas (11 July 2005).
Sabinal frog (Leptodactylus melanonotus), municipality of Aldama, Tamaulipas (3 June 2004).
Mexican treefrog (Smilisca baudinii), municipality of Gómez Farías, Tamaulipas (8 August 2004).
Veined treefrog (Trachycephalus typhonius), municipality of Gómez Farías, Tamaulipas (5 June 2002).
Epigean and cave-dwelling Mexican tetras (Astyanax mexicanus).
Variable platyfish (Xiphophorus variatus), male.
Lowland cichlid (Herichthys carpintis).
Conservation and threats
The forests have been heavily altered by human activity, so that only a few enclaves of mature forest remain. Forests have been cleared for timber harvesting, agriculture, and grazing, and much of the original forest has been replaced with scrubland or secondary forest.
World Wildlife Fund, ed. (2001). "Veracruz moist forests". WildWorld Ecoregion Profile. National Geographic Society. Archived from the original on 2010-03-08.
^Ceballos, G. Ed. (2014). Mammals of Mexico. Johns Hopkins University Press. Baltimore, Maryland. xiii, 957 pp. ISBN1-4214-0843-0
^Howell, S. N. G. and S. Webb. (1995). A Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Northern Cantral America. Oxford University Press. Oxford. xvi, 851 pp. ISBN0-19-854012-4
^ abLemos Espinal, J. A., Editor. (2015). Amphibians and Reptiles of the US-Border States. Texas A&M University Press. College Station, Texas. x, 614 pp. ISBN978-1-62349-306-6
^Duellman, William E. 1999. Patterns of Distribution of Amphibians: A Global Perspective. Johns Hopkins University Press. Baltimore, Maryland. viii, 633 pp. ISBN0-8018-6115-2
^ abcLemos Espinal, Julio A. and James R. Dixon. 2013. Amphibians and Reptiles of San Luis Potosi. Eagle Mountain Publishing, Inc. Eagle Mountain, Utah. xii, 300 pp. ISBN978-0-9720154-7-9
^Ramirez-Bautista, A., O. Flores-Villela, and G. Casas-Andreu. 1982. New herpetological state records for Mexico. Bulletin of the Maryland Herpetological Society, 18(3): 167-169.
^Duellman, W. E. 2001. The Hylid Frogs of Middle America, Vol. I & II. Contributions to Herpetology. Vol. 18. Society for the Study Amphibians and Reptiles. xvi, 1159 pp. ISBN0-916984-56-7
^ abcdMiller, R. R., W. L. Minckley, and S. M. Norris. (2005). Freshwater Fishes of Mexico. University of Chicago Press. Chicago, Illinois. xxv, 490 pp. ISBN0-226-52604-6
^ abcdGarcía de León, Francisco J., Delladira Gutiérrez Tirado, Dean A. Hendrickson, and Héctor Espinosa Pérez (2005). Fishes of the Continental Waters of Tamaulipas: Diversity and Conservation Status. In Jean-Luc E. Cartron, Gerardo Ceballos, and Richard S. Felger (eds.). Biodiversity, Ecosystems, and Conservation in Northern Mexico. Oxford University Press, Inc. New York, N. Y. xvi, 496 pp. ISBN0-19-515672-2
^"Veracruz moist forests". DOPA Explorer. Accessed 4 October 2021. [1]