Abstract
Biosphere reserves have been established around the world as a means to protect sensitive or threatened ecoregions and the biodiversity within them. As such, the organisms occurring within these reserves are important from a conservation perspective as they often represent endemic species or remnant populations. Here we provide genetic evidence of widespread occurrence of Xiphophorus helleri within the Metztitlán Canyon Biosphere Reserve in Hidalgo, Mexico. One nuclear and two mitochondrial genes were sequenced from four populations within the canyon and confirmed that the specimens collected were X. hellerii. When compared to published sequences of X. hellerii from multiple localities within the documented natural range of the species, the specimens from Metztitlán were found to exhibit between 0 and 1.6 % sequence divergence. Possible scenarios for colonization of the canyon and conservation implications are discussed.
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Acknowledgments
We are grateful to CONANP (Comisión Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas) and the Administration of the Reserva de la Barranca de Metztitlán Reserva de la Biosphera for the opportunity to work within the reserve. The authors extend a special thanks to Señor Andrés López-Morales, former brigadista of the Reserve, who was our field guide during collection of the fish and whose knowledge of the area greatly facilitated the work. Gil G. Rosenthal (Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas), principal investigator of scientific research, Centro de Investigaciones Científicas de las Huastecas “Aguazarca” (CICHAZ- http://www.cichaz.org/), who allowed us to use the facilities at the field station and provided valuable information about species of Xiphophorus in Hidalgo. This work was supported by a Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACyT) (Clave 0127310) grant in basic science to SM, project CGL2006-02844/BOS from the Plan Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo en Innovación I+D+I (2004–2007), Dirección General de Investigación, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovació́n, Gobierno de España, European Regional Development Fund to RM, and a scholarship to Christian Bautista-Hernández (254023). This work followed all local animal ethics regulations.
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Culumber, Z.W., Monks, S. & Miranda, R. Report of Xiphophorus hellerii in the arid Metztitlán Canyon Biosphere Reserve in Mexico. Environ Biol Fish 97, 157–161 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-013-0135-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-013-0135-5