The Veracruz moist forests ( es, Bosques húmedos de Veracruz) is a

tropical moist broadleaf forests Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests (TSMF), also known as tropical moist forest, is a subtropical and tropical forest habitat type defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature. Description TSMF is generally found in large, discont ...

ecoregion An ecoregion (ecological region) or ecozone (ecological zone) is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than a bioregion, which in turn is smaller than a biogeographic realm. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of l ...

in eastern

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

Geography

The Veracruz moist forests cover an area of , occupying a portion of Mexico's Gulf Coastal Plain between the

Sierra Madre Oriental The Sierra Madre Oriental () is a mountain range in northeastern Mexico. The Sierra Madre Oriental is part of the American Cordillera, a chain of mountain ranges (cordillera) that consists of an almost continuous sequence of mountain ranges that f ...

and the

Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an oceanic basin, ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of ...

. The forests extend from southern

Tamaulipas Tamaulipas (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Tamaulipas ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Tamaulipas), is a state in the northeast region of Mexico; one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Federal Entiti ...

state across northern

Veracruz Veracruz (), formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave), is one of the 31 states which, along with Me ...

, eastern

San Luis Potosí San Luis Potosí (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of San Luis Potosí ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de San Luis Potosí), is one of the 32 states which compose the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 58 municipalities and i ...

, and portions of eastern

Hidalgo Hidalgo may refer to: People * Hidalgo (nobility), members of the Spanish nobility * Hidalgo (surname) Places Mexico * Hidalgo (state), in central Mexico * Hidalgo, Coahuila, a town in the north Mexican state of Coahuila * Hidalgo, Nuevo Le� ...

and northeastern

Puebla Puebla ( en, colony, settlement), officially Free and Sovereign State of Puebla ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Puebla), is one of the 32 states which comprise the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 217 municipalities and its cap ...

. The

Huasteca La Huasteca is a geographical and cultural region located partially along the Gulf of Mexico and including parts of the states of Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Puebla, Hidalgo, San Luis Potosí, Querétaro and Guanajuato. It is roughly defined as the a ...

region includes much of the ecoregion. To the north, the forests transition to the dry lowland

Tamaulipan mezquital The Tamaulipan mezquital ( es, Mezquital Tamaulipeco) is a deserts and xeric shrublands ecoregion in the southern United States and northeastern Mexico. It covers an area of , encompassing a portion of the Gulf Coastal Plain in southern Texas ...

and the upland

Tamaulipan matorral The Tamaulipan matorral is an ecoregion in the deserts and xeric shrublands biome on the eastern slopes of the Sierra Madre Oriental range in northeastern Mexico. It is a transitional ecoregion between the Tamaulipan mezquital and the Sierra Mad ...

. To the west, the

Sierra Madre Oriental pine–oak forests The Sierra Madre Oriental pine–oak forests are a Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests ecoregion of northeastern and Central Mexico, extending into the state of Texas in the United States. Setting The Sierra Madre Oriental pine–oak forests ar ...

occupy the higher elevations of the Sierra Madre Oriental. The

Moctezuma River The Moctezuma River (Río Moctezuma) is a river in Mexico that drains the eastern side of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt (Sierra Nevada). It is a tributary of the Pánuco River and flows through the Mexican states of Hidalgo, Querétaro, and Sa ...

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 The Sierra Gorda () is an ecological region centered on the northern third of the Mexican state of Querétaro and extending into the neighboring states of Guanajuato, Hidalgo and San Luis Potosí. Within Querétaro, the ecosystem extends from ...

, and the moist forests extend westwards along the river valleys. South of the gap where the Moctezuma River cuts through the Sierra Madre, the

Veracruz montane forests The Veracruz montane forests ( es, Bosques montanos de Veracruz) is a tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion in eastern Mexico. It includes a belt of montane tropical forest on the eastern slop ...

and

Oaxacan montane forests The Oaxacan montane forests is a tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion in eastern Mexico. It includes a belt of montane tropical forest on the eastern slope of the Sierra Madre de Oaxaca and eastern Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt ranges. These f ...

occupy middle slopes of the Sierra. The

Veracruz dry forests The Veracruz dry forests are a tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forest ecoregion located in central Veracruz, Mexico. They cover an area of . The dry climate is a result of the rain shadow created by the Sierra de Chiconquiaco. The fores ...

separate the Veracruz moist forests from the

Petén–Veracruz moist forests The Petén–Veracruz moist forests is an ecoregion of the tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forest biome found in Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico. Setting The Petén–Veracruz moist forests cover an area of , extending from central Verac ...

further south. The northernmost extension of the Veracruz moist forests occurs in the

El Cielo Biosphere The El Cielo Biosphere Reserve (''Reserva de la Biosfera El Cielo'' in Spanish) is located in the Sierra Madre Oriental in the southern part of the Mexican state of Tamaulipas near the town of Gómez Farias. The reserve protects the northernmos ...

and the

Sierra de Tamaulipas The Sierra de Tamaulipas is an isolated, semi-tropical mountain range in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. Its highest point is . There are no cities or towns in the Sierra and the small population is largely agricultural. The higher elevations o ...

at a latitude of about 23° 20′ degrees north., accessed 18 Dec 2014

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 .

Gallery

File:Rio Guayalejo & Cerro del Bernal, Municipality of Gonzlaez, Tamaulipas, Mexico (17 April 2001).jpg, Rio Guayalejo and Cerro del Bernal, Municipality of Gonzlaez, Tamaulipas, Mexico (17 April 2001) File:Rio Sabinas, Municipality of Gómez Farías, Tamaulipas, Mexico (15 April 2001).jpg, Rio Sabinas, Municipality of Gómez Farías, Tamaulipas, Mexico (15 April 2001). File:Río trampolin (3682458945).jpg, Rio Trampolin (Rio Tampaón drainage), Municipality of Tamasopo, San Luis Potosí, Mexico (21 June 2009). File:Cascada en Tlaxcalantongo Puebla - panoramio.jpg, Forest near Tlaxcalantongo, municipality of Xicotepec, Puebla, Mexico (16 March 2009). File:En Coatepec, Veracruz (28 June 2008).jpg, En Coatepec, Veracruz, Mexico (28 June 2008).

Flora

The canopy of this ecoregion is characterized by trees reaching a height of up to , such as Mayan breadnut ('' Brosimum alicastrum''), sapodilla (''

Manilkara zapota ''Manilkara zapota'', commonly known as sapodilla (), sapote, naseberry, nispero or chicle, is a long-lived, evergreen tree native to southern Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. An example natural occurrence is in coastal Yucatán in the ...

''), rosadillo (''

Celtis monoica ''Celtis'' is a genus of about 60–70 species of deciduous trees, commonly known as hackberries or nettle trees, widespread in warm temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The genus is part of the extended hemp family (Cannabaceae). De ...

''), ''

Bursera simaruba ''Bursera simaruba'', commonly known as gumbo-limbo, copperwood, chaca, West Indian birch, naked Indian, and turpentine tree, is a tree species in the family Burseraceae, native to the Neotropics, from South Florida to Mexico and the Caribbean ...

'', ''

Dendropanax arboreus ''Dendropanax'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family (biology), family Araliaceae, consisting of 92 species of evergreen trees and shrubs, first described by Joseph Decaisne & Jules Émile Planchon in 1854.Decaisne, J. & Planchon, J.E. (1 ...

'', and '' Sideroxylon capiri''. The southern parts of the ecoregion feature mahogany (''

Swietenia macrophylla ''Swietenia macrophylla'', commonly known as mahogany, Honduran mahogany, Honduras mahogany, or big-leaf mahogany is a species of plant in the Meliaceae family. It is one of three species that yields genuine mahogany timber (Swietenia), the othe ...

''), ''Manilkara zapota'', '' Bernoullia flammea'', and ''

Astronium graveolens ''Astronium graveolens'' is a species of flowering tree in the cashew family, Anacardiaceae, that is native to the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico, Central America, and South America as far south as Bolivia. Common names include glassywood, ronrón ...

''.

Fauna

Mammals: Three species of rodents are endemic to this area, the El Carrizo deer mouse (''

Peromyscus ochraventer The El Carrizo deer mouse (''Peromyscus ochraventer'') is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found only in Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of No ...

'') the Tamaulipan woodrat ('' Neotoma angustapalata''), and the Jico crested tail mouse ('' Habromys simulatus''). Spider monkeys ('' Ateles geoffroyi''), the northernmost representative of the New World primates range into this region, although it is an endangered species and not common. Marsupials include the common opossum (''

Didelphis marsupialis The common opossum (''Didelphis marsupialis''), also called the southern or black-eared opossum or gambá, and sometimes called a possum, is a marsupial species living from the northeast of Mexico to Bolivia (reaching the coast of the South Pac ...

'') and Mexican mouse opossum (''

Marmosa mexicana The Mexican mouse opossum (''Marmosa mexicana'') is a species of North American opossum in the family Didelphidae. Description ''Marmosa mexicana'' is a small to moderate-sized reddish-brown marsupial, varying from bright to dull coloration. ...

''). Other mammals such as the Mexican anteater (''

Tamandua mexicana The northern tamandua (''Tamandua mexicana'') is a species of tamandua, an anteater in the family Myrmecophagidae. They live in tropical and subtropical forests from southern Mexico, through Central America, and to the edge of the northern Andes ...

''), lowland paca (''

Cuniculus paca The lowland paca (''Cuniculus paca''), also known as the spotted paca, is a large rodent found in tropical and sub-tropical America, from east-central Mexico to northern Argentina, and has been introduced to Cuba and Algeria. The animal is call ...

''), and red brocket (''

Mazama americana The red brocket (''Mazama americana'') is a species of brocket deer from forests in South America, ranging from northern Argentina to Colombia and the Guianas. It also occurs on the Caribbean island of Trinidad (it also occurred on the island o ...

'') are known from this region. Among the carnivores are the kinkajou ('' Potos flavus''),

mustelids The Mustelidae (; from Latin ''mustela'', weasel) are a family of carnivorous mammals, including weasels, badgers, otters, ferrets, martens, minks and wolverines, among others. Mustelids () are a diverse group and form the largest famil ...

such as tayra (''

Eira barbara The tayra (''Eira barbara'') is an omnivorous animal from the weasel family, native to the Americas. It is the only species in the genus ''Eira''. Tayras are also known as the ''tolomuco'' or ''perico ligero'' in Central America, ''motete'' in ...

'') and greater grison (''

Galictis vittata The greater grison (''Galictis vittata'') is a species of mustelid native to Southern Mexico, Central America, and South America. Description The greater grison is a slender animal with short legs, a long neck, and a short, bushy tail. They are ...

''), and five cat species including jaguarondi ('' Herpailurus yaguarondi''), ocelot (''

Leopardus pardalis The ocelot (''Leopardus pardalis'') is a medium-sized spotted wild cat that reaches at the shoulders and weighs between on average. It was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758. Two subspecies are recognized. It is native to the southw ...

''), margay (''

Leopardus wiedii The margay (''Leopardus wiedii'') is a small felidae, wild cat native to Central America, Central and South America. A solitary and nocturnal cat, it lives mainly in primary Evergreen forest, evergreen and deciduous forest. Until the 1990s, mar ...

''), Puma (''

Puma concolor The cougar (''Puma concolor'') is a large cat native to the Americas. Its range spans from the Canadian Yukon to the southern Andes in South America and is the most widespread of any large wild terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere ...

'') and jaguar (''

Panthera onca The jaguar (''Panthera onca'') is a large cat species and the only living member of the genus '' Panthera'' native to the Americas. With a body length of up to and a weight of up to , it is the largest cat species in the Americas and the th ...

''). Just a few of the many species of bats include the elegant myotis ('' Myotis elegans''), wrinkle-faced bat (''

Centurio senex The wrinkle-faced bat (''Centurio senex'') is a species of bat in the family Phyllostomidae and the only identified member of the genus ''Centurio''. This bat is found in various countries in and around Central America. It eats fruit but is not ...

''), and hairy-legged vampire bat ('' Diphylla ecaudata'').Ceballos, G. Ed. (2014). Mammals of Mexico. Johns Hopkins University Press. Baltimore, Maryland. xiii, 957 pp. File:Mono Araña Centroamericano - panoramio.jpg, Spider monkey (''Ateles geoffroyi''), near Catemaco, Veracruz, Mexico (4 March 2015). Birds: Endemic birds include the red-crowned amazon (''

Amazona viridigenalis The red-crowned amazon (''Amazona viridigenalis''), also known as the red-crowned parrot, green-cheeked amazon or Mexican red-headed parrot, is an endangered amazon parrot native to northeastern Mexico and possibly southern Texas in the United St ...

''), Altamira yellowthroat (''

Geothlypis flavovelata The Altamira yellowthroat (''Geothlypis flavovelata'') is a New World warbler. It is a resident breeding bird endemic to the Gulf slope of northeastern Mexico.Curson, Quinn and Beadle, ''New World Warblers'' It is closely related to common yell ...

''), and crimson-collared grosbeak (''

Rhodothraupis celaeno The crimson-collared grosbeak (''Rhodothraupis celaeno'') is a medium-size seed- and leaf-eating bird in the same family as the northern cardinal, Cardinalidae. The crimson-collared grosbeak is primarily found in north-eastern Mexico from cent ...

''). A few other species occurring in this region of rich avifauna include the thicket tinamou ('' Crypturellus cinnamomeus''), bare-throated tiger heron ('' Tigrisoma mexicanum''), boat-billed heron ('' Cochlearius cochlearius''), plumbeous kite (''

Ictinia plumbea The plumbeous kite (''Ictinia plumbea'') is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae that is resident in much of northern South America. It is migratory in the northern part of its range which extends north to Mexico. It feeds on insects which it ...

''), collared forest falcon ('' Micrastur semitorquatus''), bat falcon ('' Falco rufigularis''), great curassow ('' Crax rubra''), green parakeet (''

Psittacara holochlorus The green parakeet (''Psittacara holochlorus'') is a medium-sized parrot occurring in North and Central America, from the southernmost tip of Texas south to northern Nicaragua. Description The green parakeet is 32 cm in length, and is mos ...

''), Aztec parakeet ('' Eupsittula astec''), yellow-headed amazon (''

Amazona oratrix The yellow-headed amazon (''Amazona oratrix''), also known as the yellow-headed parrot and double yellow-headed amazon, is an endangered amazon parrot of Mexico and northern Central America. Measuring in length, it is a stocky short-tailed gree ...

''), squirrel cuckoo ('' Piaya cayana''), mottled owl ('' Strix virgata''), northern potoo ('' Nyctibius jamaicensis''), Lesson's motmot ('' Momotus lessonii''), Amazon kingfisher ('' Chloroceryle amazona''), lineated woodpecker ('' Dryocopus lineatus''), pale-billed woodpecker ('' Campephilus guatemalensis''), ivory-billed woodcreeper ('' Xiphorhynchus flavigaster''), boat-billed flycatcher ('' Megarynchus pitangua''), Tamaulipas crow (''

Corvus imparatus The Tamaulipas crow (''Corvus imparatus'') is a crow found in northeastern Mexico and southern Texas. Description It is a relatively small and sleek looking crow, in length. It has very glossy dark, bluish plumage, which appears soft and silky ...

''), scrub euphonia ('' Euphonia affinis''), and yellow-throated euphonia (''

Euphonia hirundinacea The yellow-throated euphonia (''Euphonia hirundinacea'') is a species of songbird in the family Finch, Fringillidae. It is found in southeastern Mexico and throughout Central America with its range stretching from Belize south to western Panama. I ...

'').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. File:Garza tigre mexicana - panoramio.jpg, Bare-throated tiger heron (''Tigrisoma mexicanum''), Veracruz, Mex. (15 July 2011). File:Boat-billed heron (Cochleatius cochlearius), Campeche, Mex. (2015).jpg, Boat-billed heron (''Cochleatius cochlearius''), Campeche, Mex. (2015). File:Collared forest-falcon (Micrastur semitorquaatus), Campeche, México (14 December 2015).jpg, Collared forest falcon (''Micrastur semitorquaatus''), Campeche, Mex. (2015). File:Blue-crowned motmot (Momotus momota), Ixhuatán, Chiapas (8 March 2016).jpg, Lesson's motmot (''Momotus lessonii''), Chiapas, Mex. (2016). File:Lineated woodpecker (Dryocopus lineatus), Laguna de Sontecomapan, Veracruz (4 January 2014).jpg, Lineated woodpecker (''Dryocopus lineatus''), Veracruz, Mex. (2014). File:Ivory-billed woodcreeper (Xiphorhynchus flavigaster), Catemaco, Veracruz (10 January 2014).jpg, Ivory-billed woodcreeper (''Xiphorhynchus flavigaster''), Veracruz, Mex. (2014). File:Megarynchus pitangua San Juan Evangelista.jpg, Boat-billed flycatcher (''Megraynchus pitangua''), Veracruz, Mex. (2011). File:Yellow-throated euphonia (Euphonia hirundinacea), Laguna de Sontecomapan, Veracruz (4 January 2014).jpg, Yellow-throated euphonia (''Euphonia hirundinacea''), Veracruz, Mex. (2014). File:Scrub euphonia (Euphonia affinis), Matlapa, San Luis Potosi, Mexico (11 March 2014).jpg, Scrub euphonia (''Euphonia affinis''), San Luis Potosí, Mex. (2014). Reptiles: The Morelet's crocodile ('' Crocodylus moreletii'') can be found in the remote areas of the rivers and lagoons in this region with turtles like the Mesoamerican slider (''

Trachemys venusta The Meso-American slider (''Trachemys venusta'') is a species of turtle belonging to the Family (biology), family Emydidae. The species is distributed from Mexico to Colombia. Geographic range The species ''Trachemys venusta'' is found from sou ...

'') and scorpion mud turtles ('' Kinosternon scorpioides''). Herrera's mud turtle ('' Kinosternon herrerai'') and the Mexican box turtle ('' Terrapene mexicana'') are endemic to this region. Endemic lizards include the rare plain-necked glass lizard ('' Ophisaurus incomptus'') and the Cave Tropical Night Lizard ('' Lepidophyma micropholis'') known only from caves and the vicinity of cave openings in the Sierra Cucharas/Sierra del Abra of southern Tamaulipas adjacent San Luis Potosí. Other lizards found in the region include the silky anole ('' Anolis sericeus''), rainbow ameiva ('' Holcosus undulatus''), rose-belly lizard (''

Sceloporus variabilis ''Sceloporus variabilis'', commonly known as the rose-bellied lizard, is a species of lizard which is found from Central America to southern Texas Geographic range ''S. variabilis'' can be found from southern Texas to northern Costa Rica, ofte ...

''), Mexican spiny-tailed iguana ('' Ctenosaura acanthura''), and casque-headed lizard ('' Laemanctus serratus''). Snakes such as Iverson's threadsnake ('' Rena iversoni''), the brown hook-nose snake (''

Ficimia olivacea ''Ficimia olivacea'', the Mexican hook-nosed snake, is a species of non-venomous snake in the family Colubridae. The species is found in Mexico Mexico (Spanish language, Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a List o ...

''), Taylor's cantil (''

Agkistrodon taylori ''Agkistrodon taylori'' is a species of venomous snake, a pitviper (Crotalinae) found only in northeastern Mexico. The standardized names are Taylor's cantil (English)Liner, E. A. and G. Casas-Andreu. 2008. ''Standard Spanish, English and scienti ...

''), and the Totonacan rattlesnake ('' Crotalus totonacus'') are largely associated with the Veracruz moist forest but all range into areas beyond the strict limits of this region. Many tropical snakes from Central America range into this region like the Central American boa constrictor (''

Boa imperator ''Boa imperator'' or ''Boa constrictor imperator'' (in common usage) is a large, heavy-bodied, nonvenomous species of snake, of the boa genus, that is commonly kept in captivity. ''Boa imperator'' is part of the family Boidae and is found in Mex ...

''), Central American indigo snake ('' Drymarchon melanurus''), blunthead tree snake ('' Imantodes cenchoa''), Mexican parrot snake (''

Leptophis mexicanus ''Leptophis mexicanus'', commonly known as the Mexican parrot snake, is a species of medium-sized slender snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to the Americas. Geographic range ''L. mexicanus'' can be found in southern Mexico ...

''), brown vine snake (''

Oxybelis aeneus ''Oxybelis aeneus'', commonly known as the Mexican vine snake or brown vine snake, is a species of Colubridae, colubrid snake, which is Endemism, endemic to the Americas. Geographic range and habitat ''O. aeneus'' is found from within the Atasc ...

''), tropical ratsnake (''

Pseudelaphe flavirufa The yellow-red rat snake (''Pseudelaphe flavirufa'') is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Mexico and Central America. Three subspecies are recognized. Geographic range ''P. flavirufa'' is found in the Mexican ...

''), tropical tree snake (''

Spilotes pullatus ''Spilotes pullatus'', commonly known as the caninana, tiger rat snake, chicken snake, yellow rat snake, or ''serpiente tigre'', is a species of large nonvenomous colubrid snake endemic to warmer parts of the Americas. Geographic range It is fou ...

''), green ratsnake ('' Senticolis triaspis''), banded snail sucker (''

Tropidodipsas fasciata The banded snail sucker (''Tropidodipsas fasciata'') is a species of snake of the family Colubridae. Geographic range The snake is found in Mexico, in the states of Guerrero, Tamaulipas, Veracruz Veracruz (), formally Veracruz de Ignacio de ...

''), and terrestrial snail sucker ('' Tropidodipsas sartorii''). In addition to the cantil and Totonacan rattlesnake, venomous snakes from this province include the Texas coral snake (''

Micrurus tener ''Micrurus tener'', commonly known as the Texas coral snake, is a species of venomous snake in the family Elapidae. The species is endemic to the southern United States and northeastern and central Mexico. Five subspecies are recognized as bein ...

'') and the terciopelo (''

Bothrops asper Terciopelo (''Bothrops asper'') is a species of pit vipers occurring at low to moderate elevations in northeast Mexico and Central America, and into South America where it is known from elevations up to 2600 meters in the Colombian and Ecuado ...

'').Lemos Espinal, J. A., Editor. (2015). ''Amphibians and Reptiles of the US-Border States''. Texas A&M University Press. College Station, Texas. x, 614 pp. File:Terrapene mexicana, Mexican Box Turtle, Tamaulipas.jpg, Mexican box turtle (''Terrapene mexicana''), southern Tamaulipas, Mexico (30 May 2005). File:Kinosternon scorpioides Scorpion Mud Turtle, Tamaulipas.jpg, Scorpion mud turtle (''Kinosternon scorpioides''), southern Tamaulipas, Mexico (23 September 2004). File:Ctenosaura acanthura, Mexican Spiny-tailed Iguana, Tamaulipas.jpg, Mexican spiny-tailed iguana (''Ctenosaura acanthura'') Municipality of Ocampo, Tamaulipas, Mexico (13 September 2007). File:Crocodylus moreletii, Morelet’s Crocodile, Laguna del Carppintero.jpg, Morelet's crocodile (''Crocodylus moreletii''), Laguna del Carppintero, Tamaulipas, Mexico (21 May 2007). File:Boa imperator, Central American Boa Constrictor Tamaulipas.jpg, Central American boa constrictor (''Boa imperator''), Municipality of Gómez Farías, Tamaulipas, Mexico (23 August 2007). File:Agkistrodon taylori, Taylor’s Cantil, Tamaulipas.jpg, Taylor's cantil (''Agkistrodon taylori'') southern Tamaulipas, Mexico (24 October 2004). File:Crotalus totonacus, Totonacan Rattlesnake, Tamaulipas.jpg, Totonacan rattlesnake (''Crotalus totonacus'') southern Tamaulipas, Mexico (10 July 2005). Amphibians: Although salamander diversity in Mexico is among the highest in the world, they mostly occur in mountainous areas.Duellman, William E. 1999. ''Patterns of Distribution of Amphibians: A Global Perspective''. Johns Hopkins University Press. Baltimore, Maryland. viii, 633 pp. The broadfoot mushroomtongue salamander ('' Bolitoglossa platydactyla''), a lungless salamander of the

Plethodontidae Plethodontidae, or lungless salamanders, are a family of salamanders. Most species are native to the Western Hemisphere, from British Columbia to Brazil, although a few species are found in Sardinia, Europe south of the Alps, and South Korea. In ...

family, occupies the coastal lowlands from sea level up to about 1000 meters from southern Tamaulipas to the

Isthmus of Tehuantepec The Isthmus of Tehuantepec () is an isthmus in Mexico. It represents the shortest distance between the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean. Before the opening of the Panama Canal, it was a major overland transport route known simply as the Te ...

.Lemos 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. 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 The lesser siren (''Siren intermedia'') is a species of aquatic salamander native to the eastern United States and northern Mexico. They are referred to by numerous common names, including two-legged eel, dwarf siren, and mud eel. The specific ep ...

'') from central Veracruz.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.

Anuran A frog is any member of a diverse and largely Carnivore, carnivorous group of short-bodied, tailless amphibians composing the order (biology), order Anura (ανοὐρά, literally ''without tail'' in Ancient Greek). The oldest fossil "proto-f ...

, 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 ''Leptodactylus fragilis'', known under many common names such as the Mexican white-lipped frog, American white-lipped frog or simply white-lipped frog, is a species of leptodactylid frog. Its distribution ranges from the Lower Rio Grande Val ...

''), sabinal frog (''

Leptodactylus melanonotus ''Leptodactylus melanonotus'' is a species of frog in the family Leptodactylidae. It is found in Central America. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical ...

''), elegant narrow-mouthed toad ('' Gastrophryne elegans''), sheep frog (''

Hypopachus variolosus ''Hypopachus'' is a genus of microhylid frog A frog is any member of a diverse and largely carnivorous group of short-bodied, tailless amphibians composing the order Anura (ανοὐρά, literally ''without tail'' in Ancient Greek). The ...

''), and the burrowing toad (''

Rhinophrynus dorsalis This frog belongs to the Family ''Rhinophrynidae'' and Genus Rhinophrynus. Rhinophrynus dorsalis is the only living representation of the family Rhinophrynidae. This family is also known as the burrowing toads, and is evidently a small and specia ...

''). 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 ''Scinax staufferi'' is a species of frog in the family Hylidae. It is found in Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical mo ...

''), and Mexican treefrog ('' Smilisca baudinii'').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. 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. 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 Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

is high.Miller, R. R., W. L. Minckley, and S. M. Norris. (2005). Freshwater Fishes of Mexico. University of Chicago Press. Chicago, Illinois. xxv, 490 pp. One source list 93 species in the Guayalejo-Temesí watershed of Tamaulipas alone, but this includes

brackish Brackish water, sometimes termed brack water, is water occurring in a natural environment that has more salinity than freshwater, but not as much as seawater. It may result from mixing seawater (salt water) and fresh water together, as in estuari ...

-marine species.García 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. Many of the streams and rivers of this region are spring fed by

karstic Karst is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. It is characterized by underground drainage systems with sinkholes and caves. It has also been documented for more weathering-resistant ro ...

aquifers An aquifer is an underground layer of water-bearing, permeable rock, rock fractures, or unconsolidated materials (gravel, sand, or silt). Groundwater from aquifers can be extracted using a water well. Aquifers vary greatly in their characterist ...

, providing consistent and relatively thermally stable water compared to other basins sourced largely by precipitation. 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 The Mexican tetra (''Astyanax mexicanus''), also known as the blind cave fish, blind cave characin, and blind cave tetra, is a freshwater fish of the family Characidae of the order Characiformes. The type species of its genus, it is native to ...

'' A._jordani''.html" ;"title="Astyanax_jordani.html" ;"title=" ''Astyanax jordani">A. jordani''">Astyanax_jordani.html" ;"title=" ''Astyanax jordani">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. 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 ''Herichthys carpintis'', the lowland cichlid, pearlscale cichlid, is a species of cichlid. It is endemic to eastern Mexico where it occurs in the Pánuco River drainage, and the Soto La Marina River in northeastern Mexico, its type locality ...

'') and endemic species like the chairel cichlid ('' Herichthys'' 'Nosferatu''''pantostictus'') and Nautla cichlid (''

Herichthys deppii ''Herichthys deppii'', also known as the Nautla cichlid, is a species of cichlid native to the Nautla and Misantla rivers of Mexico. It reaches a maximum size of TL. The specific name honours the German naturalist, explorer and painter ...

'') among others. Other fishes include the pigmy shiner ('' Notropis tropicus''), Forlón gambusia (''

Gambusia ''Gambusia'' is a large genus of viviparous fish in the family Poeciliidae (order Cyprinodontiformes). ''Gambusia'' contains over 40 species, most of which are principally found in freshwater habitats, though some species may also be found in b ...

regani''), gulf gambusia (''

vittata''), chubsucker minnow ('' Dionda erimyzonops''), and the endemic lantern minnow ('' Dionda ipni''). 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. File:Bolitoglossa platydactyla, Broadfoot Mushroomtongue Salamander, Tamaulipas.jpg, Broadfoot mushroomtongue salamander (''Bolitoglossa platydactyla''), municipality of Ocampo, Tamaulipas (11 July 2005). File:Leptodactylus melanonotus WLF-255-7A, Municipio Aldama; 3 June 2004.jpg, Sabinal frog (''Leptodactylus melanonotus''), municipality of Aldama, Tamaulipas (3 June 2004). File:Smilisca baudinii, Mexican Treefrog, Tamaulipas.jpg, Mexican treefrog (''Smilisca baudinii''), municipality of Gómez Farías, Tamaulipas (8 August 2004). File:Trachycephalus typhonius, Veined Treefrog, Tamaulipas.jpg, Veined treefrog (''Trachycephalus typhonius''), municipality of Gómez Farías, Tamaulipas (5 June 2002). File:Epigean and cave-dwelling Mexican tetras Astyanax mexicanus.jpg, Epigean and cave-dwelling Mexican tetras (''Astyanax mexicanus''). File:Xipho variatus maschio.jpg, Variable platyfish (''Xiphophorus variatus''), male. File:Herichthys carpintis 01.jpg, 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.

Protected areas

7.66% of the ecoregion is in protected areas. Protected areas entirely or partly within the ecoregion include El Cielo, Sierra del Abra Tanchipa,

, Sierra Gorda de Guanajuato, and

biosphere reserves Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) is an intergovernmental scientific program, launched in 1971 by UNESCO, that aims to establish a scientific basis for the improvement of relationships between people and their environments. MAB's work engag ...

, Laguna Madre and Río Bravo Delta Flora and Fauna Protection Area, Bernal de Horcasitas, El Sótano de Las Golondrinas, and La Hoya de las Huahuas

natural monuments Nature, in the broadest sense, is the physical world or universe. "Nature" can refer to the phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general. The study of nature is a large, if not the only, part of science. Although humans are p ...

, Río Filo-Bobos y su Entorno protected area, and Zona Protectora Forestal Vedada Cuenca Hidrográfica del Río Necaxa natural resources protection area."Veracruz moist forests". DOPA Explorer. Accessed 4 October 2021

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External links

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References

{{reflist Ecoregions of Mexico Forests of Mexico Neotropical tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests