Barisia imbricata

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Bibliography

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	REPTILIA	SQUAMATA	ANGUIDAE

Scientific Name:	Barisia imbricata
Species Authority:	(Wiegmann, 1828)
Synonym/s:	Barisia ciliaris (Smith, 1942) Barisia imbricata subspecies jonesi Guillette & Smith, 1982 Barisia jonesi Guillette & Smith, 1982 Barisia planifrons (Bocourt,1878) Gerrhonotus levicollis subspecies ciliaris Smith, 1942 Gerrhonotus planifrons Bocourt,1878
Taxonomic Notes:	The status of the Barisia imbricata complex remains uncertain, with several species possibly contained under this name (Zaldivar-Riveron et al. 2005).

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Least Concern ver 3.1
Year Published:	2007
Assessor/s:	Canseco-Márquez, L., Mendoza-Quijano, F., Ponce-Campos, P., García Aguayo, A., Vázquez Díaz, J., Quintero Díaz, G.E., Santos-Barrera, G. & Campbell, J.A.
Reviewer/s:	Cox, N., Chanson, J.S. & Stuart, S.N. (Global Reptile Assessment Coordinating Team)
Contributor/s:
Justification: Listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution, presumed large population, it occurs in a number of protected areas, has a tolerance of a degree of habitat modification, and because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category.

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This widespread Mexican endemic is currently composed of four distinctive subspecies which may represent several distinct species (see: Smith et al. 2002, Flores-Villela and Canseco-Márquez 2003, Zaldivar-Riveron et al. 2005). The nominate subspecies B. i. imbricata, is found along the Transvolcanic belt of central Mexico, including the States of Tlaxacala, Puebla, northern Oaxaca, Veracruz, Jalisco, Cuernovaca, Guanajuato, Distrito Federal, Mexico, Hidalgo and Queretaro. It is found from around 1,800 to 3,000 m asl. B. i. ciliaris ranges from the Sierra Madre Occidental of Chihuahua, Durango, Zacatecas; in the Pacific coast it is found with a disjunct distribution between Jalisco and Nayarit; from here to the centre of Mexico in Jalisco, Aguascalientes, northeastern Guanajuato, north of Querétaro to San Luis Potosí and through the Sierra Madre Oriental to southern Nuevo Leon (Taylor 1949, Taylor 1952, Smith et al. 2000, Lemos-Espinal et al. 2000, Vázquez and Quintero 1997, McCranie and Wilson 2001, Vazquez and Quintero 2005). It occurs above 1,200 m asl. B. i. jonesi is endemic to the Sierra de Coalcomán, in northern Michoacan State, Mexico. It is found from 1,500 to at least 2,200 m asl. B. i. planifrons is known only from the northern slopes of the Sierra Juarez, Oaxaca State, Mexico. It is found at elevations of 1,500 to 2,500 m asl.
Countries:	Native: Mexico
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	B. i. imbricata, B. i. ciliaris and B. i. planifrons are relatively common. B. i. jonesi is considered to be quite rare.
Population Trend:	Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	B. i. imbricata occurs in highland pine forest, being usually found in clearings and other more or less open areas (including leaf litter and bunchgrass habitats within the forest). It can be found in bunchgrass habitats outside of forest. It is viviparous. B. i. ciliaris may be found under rocks or trunks of fallen trees. Vazquez and Quintero (2005) mention that also they use underground burrows. Animals live in high temperate pine-oak and oak forests, and grasslands from 1,200 m asl (Flores and Gerez 1994, Vázquez and Quintero 1997, McCranie and Wilson 200, Vazquez and Quintero 2005). It is largely insectivorous, although it may occasionally take small vertebrates. It is viviparous with litters of up to eleven young reported (Taylor 1949, Vazquez and Quintero 2005). B. i. jonesi occurs in temperate forest habitat. It is a terrestrial animal found in leaf litter under rocks and logs, and in holes in the ground. The natural history is practically unknown, and it is not known if it can persist in modified habitats. B. i. planifrons is a little-known animal of montane cloud forest. It is not known if it can adapt to habitat modification.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

B. i. imbricata occurs in highland pine forest, being usually found in clearings and other more or less open areas (including leaf litter and bunchgrass habitats within the forest). It can be found in bunchgrass habitats outside of forest. It is viviparous.

B. i. ciliaris may be found under rocks or trunks of fallen trees. Vazquez and Quintero (2005) mention that also they use underground burrows. Animals live in high temperate pine-oak and oak forests, and grasslands from 1,200 m asl (Flores and Gerez 1994, Vázquez and Quintero 1997, McCranie and Wilson 200, Vazquez and Quintero 2005). It is largely insectivorous, although it may occasionally take small vertebrates. It is viviparous with litters of up to eleven young reported (Taylor 1949, Vazquez and Quintero 2005).

B. i. jonesi occurs in temperate forest habitat. It is a terrestrial animal found in leaf litter under rocks and logs, and in holes in the ground. The natural history is practically unknown, and it is not known if it can persist in modified habitats.

B. i. planifrons is a little-known animal of montane cloud forest. It is not known if it can adapt to habitat modification.

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	B. i. imbricata appears to be no overall major threats. It is locally threatened in parts of its range by conversion of forest to agricultural land. B. i. ciliaris is threatened by habitat loss and degradation, largely through conversion of land to agricultural use. Animals are often killed when encountered by local people as it is mistakenly feared to be venomous. The threats to B. i. jonesi are poorly known. There is ongoing habitat loss through deforestation for agriculture in the area, and this is believed to be a threat. More research into actual and potential threats is needed. There appear to be no major threats to B. i. planifrons.

Major Threat(s):

B. i. imbricata appears to be no overall major threats. It is locally threatened in parts of its range by conversion of forest to agricultural land.

B. i. ciliaris is threatened by habitat loss and degradation, largely through conversion of land to agricultural use. Animals are often killed when encountered by local people as it is mistakenly feared to be venomous.

The threats to B. i. jonesi are poorly known. There is ongoing habitat loss through deforestation for agriculture in the area, and this is believed to be a threat. More research into actual and potential threats is needed.

There appear to be no major threats to B. i. planifrons.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	B. i .imbicata, and presumably the species B. imbricata, is protected by Mexican law under the category Pr (Special Protection). It is present in a number of protected areas. No conservation measures are currently needed. B. i. ciliaris has been recorded from several protected areas. Other than general research, no direct conservation measures are currently needed for this common and widespread animal. There are no direct conservation measures in place for B. i. jonesi. It is not known if it is present within any protected areas. Additional studies are needed into the distribution, abundance, breeding biology, general ecology and threats. The forest in which B. i. planifrons has been recorded, and a portion of the Sierra Juarez, is protected by the local Comaltepec community. Additional studies are needed into the distribution, abundance, breeding biology and general ecology. It is clear that additional taxonomic research is needed to conclusively resolve the B. imbricata species complex.

Conservation Actions:

B. i .imbicata, and presumably the species B. imbricata, is protected by Mexican law under the category Pr (Special Protection). It is present in a number of protected areas. No conservation measures are currently needed.

B. i. ciliaris has been recorded from several protected areas. Other than general research, no direct conservation measures are currently needed for this common and widespread animal.

There are no direct conservation measures in place for B. i. jonesi. It is not known if it is present within any protected areas. Additional studies are needed into the distribution, abundance, breeding biology, general ecology and threats.

The forest in which B. i. planifrons has been recorded, and a portion of the Sierra Juarez, is protected by the local Comaltepec community. Additional studies are needed into the distribution, abundance, breeding biology and general ecology.

It is clear that additional taxonomic research is needed to conclusively resolve the B. imbricata species complex.

Bibliography [top]

	Flores-Villela, O. and Canseco-Márquez, L. 2004. Nuevas especies y cambios taxonómicos para la herpetofauna de México. Acta Zoologica Mexicana Nueva Serie 20(2): 115-144. Flores-Villela, O. and Gerez, P. 1994. Biodiversidad y Conservación en México: Vertebrados, Vegetación y Uso del Suelo. Comisión Nacional para el Conocimiento y Uso de la Biodiversidad, UNAM, Mexico City. 439 pp. Good, D.A. 1988. Phylogenetic relationships among gerrhonotine lizards: an analysis of external morphology. University of California Publications in Zoology 121: 1-139. IUCN. 2007. 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Available at: www.iucnredlist.org. (Accessed: 12th September 2007). Karges, J.P. and Wright, J.W. 1987. A new species of Barisia (Sauria, Anguidae) from Oaxaca, Mexico. Contributions in Science 381: 1-11. Lemos-Espinal, J.A., Smith, H.M. and Chiszar, D. 2000. New distributional data on some species of lizards from Chihuahua, Mexico. Bulletin of the Chicago Herpetological Society 35(8): 181-187. Smith, H.M., Burg, T.M. and Chiszar, D. 2002. Evolutionary speciation in the alligator lizards of the genus Barisia. Bulletin of the Maryland Herpetological Society 38(1): 23-26. Taylor, E.H. 1949. A preliminary account of the herpetology of the state of San Luis Potosi, Mexico. University of Kansas Science Bulletin 33: 169-215. Taylor, E.H. 1952. Third contribution to the herpetology of San Luis Potosi, México. University of Kansas Science Bulletin 34 Pt II(13): 793-815. Vázquez-Diaz, J. and Quintero Diaz, G.E. 1997. Anfibios y Reptiles de Aguascalientes. Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios Multidisciplinarios de Aguascalientes (CIEMA) y Gobierno del Estado de Aguascalientes, México. 145 pp. Wilson, L.D. and McCranie, J.R. 1979. Notes on the herpetofauna of two mountain ranges in Mexico (Sierra Fria, Aguascalientes, and Sierra Morones, Zacatecas). Journal of Herpetology 13(3): 271-278. Zaldivar-Riverón, A., Nieto-Montes de Oca, A. and Laclette, J.P. 2005. Phylogeny and evolution of dorsal pattern in the Mexican endemic lizard genus Barisia (Anguidae: Gerrhonotinae). Journal of Zoological Systematics & Evolutionary Research 43(3): 243-257.

Flores-Villela, O. and Canseco-Márquez, L. 2004. Nuevas especies y cambios taxonómicos para la herpetofauna de México. Acta Zoologica Mexicana Nueva Serie 20(2): 115-144.

Flores-Villela, O. and Gerez, P. 1994. Biodiversidad y Conservación en México: Vertebrados, Vegetación y Uso del Suelo. Comisión Nacional para el Conocimiento y Uso de la Biodiversidad, UNAM, Mexico City. 439 pp.

Good, D.A. 1988. Phylogenetic relationships among gerrhonotine lizards: an analysis of external morphology. University of California Publications in Zoology 121: 1-139.

IUCN. 2007. 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Available at: www.iucnredlist.org. (Accessed: 12th September 2007).

Karges, J.P. and Wright, J.W. 1987. A new species of Barisia (Sauria, Anguidae) from Oaxaca, Mexico. Contributions in Science 381: 1-11.

Lemos-Espinal, J.A., Smith, H.M. and Chiszar, D. 2000. New distributional data on some species of lizards from Chihuahua, Mexico. Bulletin of the Chicago Herpetological Society 35(8): 181-187.

Smith, H.M., Burg, T.M. and Chiszar, D. 2002. Evolutionary speciation in the alligator lizards of the genus Barisia. Bulletin of the Maryland Herpetological Society 38(1): 23-26.

Taylor, E.H. 1949. A preliminary account of the herpetology of the state of San Luis Potosi, Mexico. University of Kansas Science Bulletin 33: 169-215.

Taylor, E.H. 1952. Third contribution to the herpetology of San Luis Potosi, México. University of Kansas Science Bulletin 34 Pt II(13): 793-815.

Vázquez-Diaz, J. and Quintero Diaz, G.E. 1997. Anfibios y Reptiles de Aguascalientes. Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios Multidisciplinarios de Aguascalientes (CIEMA) y Gobierno del Estado de Aguascalientes, México. 145 pp.

Wilson, L.D. and McCranie, J.R. 1979. Notes on the herpetofauna of two mountain ranges in Mexico (Sierra Fria, Aguascalientes, and Sierra Morones, Zacatecas). Journal of Herpetology 13(3): 271-278.

Zaldivar-Riverón, A., Nieto-Montes de Oca, A. and Laclette, J.P. 2005. Phylogeny and evolution of dorsal pattern in the Mexican endemic lizard genus Barisia (Anguidae: Gerrhonotinae). Journal of Zoological Systematics & Evolutionary Research 43(3): 243-257.

Citation:	Canseco-Márquez, L., Mendoza-Quijano, F., Ponce-Campos, P., García Aguayo, A., Vázquez Díaz, J., Quintero Díaz, G.E., Santos-Barrera, G. & Campbell, J.A. 2007. Barisia imbricata. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 24 May 2013.
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