Page 1 of 1

Mexican Reptile Books (Southern Region)

Posted: March 27th, 2013, 5:30 pm
by KEAC
I am starting to plan a Southern Mexico trip (Oaxaca vicinity and east) with some friends and needed some reference material for the region. There has been some mention of books in the works for Mexican reptiles, but can anybody provide some titles for published guides specifically covering the Southern Mexican snakes.

It is a tall order, but I’m sure some of you have taken this path before. I know a while back Young Cage mentioned a friend with a book project brewing and Chris Smith started to compile a states guide list. Don’t know if the book project was completed or the list branched down to Mexico?? I am assuming our herpers south of the border have some thoughts on this.

I have the Yucatan region books and the venomous snakes covered between Roze, Campbell, Lamar, etc. Just need whatever help I can get on the others from the regions west of the Yucatan.

Any help would be appreciated!
Thanks,
Darin

Re: Mexican Reptile Books (Southern Region)

Posted: March 27th, 2013, 11:13 pm
by chrish
http://www.herpnation.com/regional-field-guides/

The only book I am familiar with off the top of my head is Alvarez del Toro's Reptiles of Chiapas. Good luck finding a copy though. With the recent surge in Mexican herp books, there might be something new.

Kohler's Central American Reptiles and Amphibian books might be helpful in Chis, as would any Guatemalan books.

Re: Mexican Reptile Books (Southern Region)

Posted: March 28th, 2013, 11:28 am
by Ribbit
There seem to be a couple of expensive-but-not-outrageously-so copies of Los Reptiles de Chiapas available on abebooks.com.

John

Re: Mexican Reptile Books (Southern Region)

Posted: March 28th, 2013, 7:20 pm
by intermedius
I'd go with Venomous Reptiles of The Western Hemisphere. Or get Murphy and Armstrong's Natural History of Mexican Rattlesnakes. Both are great and usable. Oaxaca region has a mix of Central American species and Mexican species. Expect Coniophanes, Sibon, Bothrops Asper, a few Simus, and Drymobius. The rare Geophis is found in mountains alongg with micrurus and a few species of litter snakes and other montane specialists like exilboa and montane rattlers like molossus are more common in the north in arid regions along with black necks. I would not expect HUGE RARE SPECIES. Those are in very HARD to get to regions. For example- Thamnophis proximus hasn't been seen in Chiapas in 50 years cause its closed off.

Re: Mexican Reptile Books (Southern Region)

Posted: March 28th, 2013, 7:59 pm
by Scott Waters

Re: Mexican Reptile Books (Southern Region)

Posted: April 1st, 2013, 11:58 am
by chrish
intermedius wrote:For example- Thamnophis proximus hasn't been seen in Chiapas in 50 years cause its closed off.
Am I missing something here. And what is "closed off"? I haven't been to CHIS in 5-6 years maybe, but I've been quite a few times in the 80s, 90s, and 00s.

Thamnophis proximus hasnt' been found in Chiapas in 50 years? They are downright abundant just across the border in southern Tabasco. Surely in the lowlands north of Palenque or Pichucalco there must be proximus. I may even have a photo of one, but I don't know for sure because they are such a trash snake on the other side of 186.

Re: Mexican Reptile Books (Southern Region)

Posted: April 4th, 2013, 1:41 pm
by Matt Cage
There is multiple books in the works. Most of the newer books are for northern Mexico (That I know of). My good friend Julio A. Lemos Espinal has been working hard on getting Mexican books published. Here is some of what he has been involved with.

"La Familia Bufonidae en Mexico" by Luis Oliver Lopez, Guillermo Woolrich Pina, and Julio A Lemos Espinal. 2009 (In Spanish)

"Introduction to the Amphibians and Reptiles of the State of Chihuahua, Mexico" by Julio A. Lemos Espinal, Hobart Smith, and David Chiszar. 2004 (In Spanish and English)

"Amphibians and Reptiles of the State of Coahuila, Mexico" by Julio A. Lemos Espinal and Hobart Smith. 2007 (In Spanish and English)
This is an incredible book.

"Amphibians and Reptiles of the State of Chihuahua, Mexico" by Julio A. Lemos Espinal and Hobart Smith. 2007 (In Spanish and English).

"Amphibians and Reptiles of the State of Queretaro, Mexico" by James R. Dixon and Julio A. Lemos Espinal. 2010 (In Spanish and English).

"Keys to the Amphibians and Reptiles of Sonora, Chihuahua and Coahuila, Mexico" by Julio A. Lemos Espinal and Hobart Smith. 2009. (In Spanish and English).

"The Family Xenosauridae in Mexico" by Julio A. Lemos-Espinal, Geoffrey Smith, and Guillermo A. Woolrich-Pina. 2012 (Spanish and English)

And not published yet (should be available soon) is the following:
"Amphibians & Reptiles of the Sierra Tarahumara of Chihuahua, Mexico" by Julio A. Lemos Espinal, Hobart Smith and Alexander Cruz


And I have recently received a copy of this smaller magazine style book, a very informative and enjoyable effort:
"Serpientes Venenosas del Estado de Hidalgo" by Leonardo Fernandez Badillo, Nallely Morales Capellan, and Irene Goyenechea Mayer Goyenechea. (only in Spanish) 2011.

Scott, these probably need to be added to your database, if you need cover scans, let me know!

There is some other exciting Mexico herp books in the works as well!

Matt

Re: Mexican Reptile Books (Southern Region)

Posted: April 4th, 2013, 7:50 pm
by Robert Hansen
In addition to Matt's list, Julio's book on SLP is also in the works.

Re: Mexican Reptile Books (Southern Region)

Posted: April 5th, 2013, 3:43 pm
by intermedius
chrish wrote:
intermedius wrote:For example- Thamnophis proximus hasn't been seen in Chiapas in 50 years cause its closed off.
Am I missing something here. And what is "closed off"? I haven't been to CHIS in 5-6 years maybe, but I've been quite a few times in the 80s, 90s, and 00s.

Thamnophis proximus hasnt' been found in Chiapas in 50 years? They are downright abundant just across the border in southern Tabasco. Surely in the lowlands north of Palenque or Pichucalco there must be proximus. I may even have a photo of one, but I don't know for sure because they are such a trash snake on the other side of 186.
Proximus alpinus... Mountains of Chiapas. I was meaning the really rural mountains of south Mexico. Like the mountains near Veracruz and Oaxaca where Micrurus nebularis was described...

Re: Mexican Reptile Books (Southern Region)

Posted: April 27th, 2013, 4:24 pm
by KEAC
Thanks for the suggestions guys. I always put a full snake list together when I travel for herping. The easy part of my species list is coming together, i.e. the hot portion. I should be pretty much covered for the venomous with what I have. The biggest challenge will be putting the non-venomous portion together. Depending on logistics we may hit anywhere from S. Veracruz, Tabasco, Chiapas and much of Central and E. Oaxaca. That's really where I need some good literature on the non-venomous, especially for the State of Oaxaca!

Chrish: I ordered up the Kohler book, which had been on my to do list since the 1st edition came out. Glad to pick up the newer version though. That covers the isthmus region south, including Chiapas, so with the overlap that should help with some of Tabasco, Veracruz and Oaxaca. I'm going to hold off on Alvarez del Toro's Chiapas book for now, but I may still pick it up later.

I am still just getting started so I need to look around some more as the project develops and the date gets closer. If anyone wants to throw in their thoughts let me know, of PM me if you want to keep it off the thread.

Thanks again,
Darin

Re: Mexican Reptile Books (Southern Region)

Posted: May 29th, 2013, 8:45 pm
by Ecologito
Julio Lemos was my professor in college and he was fantastic. His wealth of knowledge in regard of herps is admirable.

Re: Mexican Reptile Books (Southern Region)

Posted: July 16th, 2016, 4:06 pm
by dicephalics
The best Oaxacan reference for now ius Schätti & Stutz's (2016) "A short account of the snakes of southern Oaxaca, Mexico," privately published, 44 pp. I can send a pdf to anyone interested or you can contact the author ([email protected]) for a copy.