The fauna of Cuatro Ciénegas, Coahuila México.
A natural protected area with 38 endemic species of animals.
An unrepeatable valley.
Cuatro Ciénegas, an oasis in the Chihuahuan desert that Surprisingly is a paradox for biology "it represents an aquatic environment within the desert" that harbors a unique biota making it one of the places with more endemism by Km2 on Planet Earth.
The Chihuahuan desert flora by Nicolás Sánchez-Mejorada GiraultCuatro Ciénegas- Genesis 4C Museum and Laboratory
The lost world survivors.
The geographic isolation of the valley has created a unique environment on Earth. The Neotropical and Nearctic biogeographical provinces converge in the area, creating an amazing site where animal species have evolved at different rates. Some of them had survived isolated from the rest of the world from immemorable time.
Cacti diversity by Nicolás Sánchez-Mejorada GiraultCuatro Ciénegas- Genesis 4C Museum and Laboratory
World's primitive ecosystem.
Studies indicate that the Valley's climatic conditions had remained stable for at least 15 million years, finding animals that have ancient origin dating back to when the site was submerged in the Tethys sea.
Cuatro Cienega´s blue pond by Nicolás Sánchez-Mejorada GiraultCuatro Ciénegas- Genesis 4C Museum and Laboratory
Earth's early water.
As Remnants when the Tethys sea covered the region, more than 250 bodies of water with similar conditions to the primitive ocean have been kept in the incredible oasis.
Animal endemicity.
Eight hundred eighty-five animal species have been described and classified in the Cuatro Ciénegas valley, 38 of which are endemic (mollusks, crustaceans, scorpions, dragonflies, fish, reptiles, and amphibians). This is just a tiny piece of the wonders that remains to discover in an unrepeatable place.
The world´s only aquatic box turtle by Nicolás Sánchez-Mejorada GiraultCuatro Ciénegas- Genesis 4C Museum and Laboratory
The world's only extant aquatic box turtle.
One of the most representative species of Cuatro Ciénegas, Coahuila México is the Coahuilan box turtle (Terrapene coahuila). Its habitat is shallow freshwater areas with slow-moving currents.
The endemic turtle feeds mainly on plants and insects. Physically, males have longer tails and brown eyes; females have pale grey eyes. Another difference is that males have a notched beak; females have not. This species can reach an average carapace size of 16 cm.
Terrapene coahuila by Nicolás Sánchez-Mejorada GiraultCuatro Ciénegas- Genesis 4C Museum and Laboratory
The Terrapene coahuila most distinctive characteristic is that the shell has a movable junction and can hide their entire body to protect themselves from prey.
The world´s only aquatic box turtle by Nicolás Sánchez-Mejorada GiraultCuatro Ciénegas- Genesis 4C Museum and Laboratory
The Coahuilan box turtle is listed as "endangered" on Appendix 1 at The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and on the conservation priority list of the World Wildlife Fund and the Turtle Conservation Fund.
The Mojarra of Cuatro Ciénegas.
Herichthys minckleyi is an endemic species of mojarra that Inhabitat in Cuatro Ciénegas ponds, described for the first time by Ph.D. W. L. Minckley, of Arizona State University.
The mojarra is commonly observed in Cuatro Ciénegas ponds. It has grey body color with very characteristic black marks on its sides. In the breeding season, H. minckleyi presents a sexual dichromatic color pattern; females turn to a bright white and males to black.
Herichthys minckleyi by Nicolás Sánchez-Mejorada GiraultCuatro Ciénegas- Genesis 4C Museum and Laboratory
One of the main characteristics that have triggered multiple investigations over the years apart from its endemism is the mojarra's polymorphism: location of its teeth, body shape, and head.
The most studied polymorphism in H. minckleyi has been the location of their teeth, classifying them mainly into two types: a molariform that has stout pharyngeal teeth and one as a papilliform that has numerous fine pharyngeal teeth. The morph with thick teet feeds on endemic snails (whose shells are considered one of the hardest on the planet), and the ones with thinner teeth feed on algae and plants.
Herichthys minckleyi by Nicolás Sánchez-Mejorada GiraultCuatro Ciénegas- Genesis 4C Museum and Laboratory
The mojarra of Cuatro Ciénegas is highly social, it´s governed in hierarchical communities, where the male prepares the nest and the female protects the offspring.
Dragonflies diversity.
This incredible and unique natural protected area is considered one of the most diverse sites with dragonflies in North American deserts.
CC143Cuatro Ciénegas- Genesis 4C Museum and Laboratory
To date, 36 species of dragonflies have been described, 27 in the American continent, and one is endemic to the Cuatro Ciénegas valley, known as Libellula coahuiltecana sp.
Cuatro Ciénegas´s dragonflies by Nicolás Sánchez-Mejorada GiraultCuatro Ciénegas- Genesis 4C Museum and Laboratory
An endemic dragonfly.
Libellula coahuiltecana sp. body color is light to dark brown for females and reddish-brown for male individuals. The distinguishing characteristic of this endemic species is the orange spots on the base of wings and nodal area.
Ph.D. Héctor Fernando Arocha Garza, Genesis 4C.
Acknowledgments to Las playitas del Desierto and Desuvalle, A.C. for the access granted to get the photographs.
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