Endemic Animals of Mexico

The black jackrabbit (Lepus insularis ) is a species of mammal in the family Leporidae. Endemic to Mexico, its only known location is Espiritu Santo Island in the Gulf of California. The IUCN has listed this species as a "vulnerable species" because of its restricted range. This taxon is regarded by some authorities as being a subspecies of the black-tailed jackrabbit (L. californicus ), found on the mainland of Mexico. Less

Vaquitas (Phocoena sinus) are record-holders among all cetaceans. Thus, these animals are the smallest cetaceans, meanwhile being the smallest porpoises; they have the smallest range; and finally, vaquitas are the most critically endangered cetacean species in the world. ‘Vaquita’ is a Spanish word meaning "little cow". The scientific name of this animal means “porpoise of the gulf”, as this cetacean is endemic to Mexico. Vaquitas are a quite recentl ...
y discovered species: they were first identified in 1958 based on skulls and were first observed in 1985. Less

The Cozumel raccoon (Procyon pygmaeus ), is a critically endangered species of island raccoon endemic on Cozumel Island off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. It is also called the pygmy raccoon, dwarf raccoon, Cozumel Island raccoon, and Cozumel raccoon bear. Less

The blue-capped motmot or blue-crowned motmot (Momotus coeruliceps ) is a colorful near-passerine bird found in forests and woodlands of eastern Mexico. This species and the Lesson's Motmot, Whooping Motmot, Trinidad Motmot, Amazonian Motmot, and Andean Motmot were all considered conspecific. The IUCN uses blue-crowned as their identifier for this species, however it was also the name used for the prior species complex.It is the only species in ...
the former complex where the central crown is blue. There is a black eyemask. The call is a low owl-like ooo-doot. Blue-crowned motmots have a body length ranging from 38–43 cm (15-17 inches). These birds often sit still, and in their dense forest habitat can be difficult to see, despite their size. They eat small prey such as insects and lizards, and will also regularly take fruit.Like most of the Coraciiformes, motmots nest in tunnels in banks, laying about three or four white eggs. Less

The volcano rabbit (Romerolagus diazi ), also known as teporingo or zacatuche, is a small rabbit that resides in the mountains of Mexico. It is the world's second-smallest rabbit, second only to the pygmy rabbit. It has small rounded ears, short legs, and short, thick fur and weighs approximately 390–600 g (0.86–1.3 lb). It has a life span of 7 to 9 years. The volcano rabbit lives in groups of 2 to 5 animals in burrows (underground nests) and runw ...
ays among grass tussocks. The burrows can be as long as 5 m and as deep as 40 cm. There are usually 2 to 3 young per litter, born in the burrows. In semi-captivity, however, they do not make burrows and the young are born in nests made in the grass tussocks.Unlike many species of rabbits (and similar to pikas), the volcano rabbit emits very high-pitched sounds instead of thumping its feet on the ground to warn other rabbits of danger. It is crepuscular and is highly active during twilight, dawn and all times in between. Populations have been estimated to have approximately 150–200 colonies with a total population of 1,200 individuals over their entire range. Less

The axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) is a paedomorphic salamander related to the Tiger salamander. Axolotls are unusual among amphibians in that they reach adulthood without undergoing metamorphosis. Instead of taking to the land, adults remain aquatic and gilled. They are used extensively in scientific research due to their ability to regenerate limbs, gills and parts of their eyes and brains. Less

The Mexican agouti (Dasyprocta mexicana ), also known as the Mexican black agouti, is a species of rodent in the family Dasyproctidae. It is native to lowland evergreen forest and second growth in southern Mexico (Veracruz, Oaxaca, Chiapas and Tabasco), but has also been introduced to Cuba. This critically endangered species is threatened by habitat loss. Its overall blackish color separates it from the only other agouti found in Mexico, the ...
Central American agouti. Less

The black-throated magpie-jay (Calocitta colliei ) is a strikingly long-tailed magpie-jay of northwestern Mexico. Less

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 southern Texas in the United States. A 1994 study estimated wild populations of between 2,000 and 4,300 mature individuals; the IUCN Red List considers it a globally endangered species with a decreasing population. The main threats to the native ...
bird's survival are the illegal export of trapped birds from Mexico to the United States for the pet trade and the destruction of their natural habitat, the lowland forests of northeastern Mexico. Less

The Mexican mole lizard (Bipes biporus), also commonly known as the Five-toed worm lizard, or simply as Bipes, is a species of amphisbaenian in the family Bipedidae. The species is endemic to the Baja California Peninsula. It is one of four species of amphisbaenians that have legs. Less

The Mexican alligator lizard (Abronia graminea) is an endangered species of lizard native to Mexico. It was originally described under the genus Gerrhonotus as Gerrhonotus gramineus by Edward D. Cope in 1864. Mexican alligator lizards especially favor living near bromeliads because the leaves of this plant collect water that is so essential for these lizards. Less

The Mexican prairie dog (Cynomys mexicanus) is a burrowing rodent native to Mexico. They are closely related to squirrels, chipmunks, and marmots. Mexican prairie dogs originated about 230,000 years ago from a peripherally isolated population of the more widespread Black-tailed prairie dog. Less

The juniper titmouse (Baeolophus ridgwayi ) is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. The American Ornithologists' Union split the plain titmouse into the oak titmouse and the juniper titmouse in 1996, due to distinct differences in song, preferred habitat, and genetic makeup.The juniper titmouse is a small, gray bird with small tuft or crest. The face is plain, and the undersides are a lighter gray. Sexes are similar.This titmouse lives ...
year-round primarily in the Great Basin, but is resident from southeastern Oregon and central Colorado south to the eastern Mojave Desert in California and central Arizona, as far as west Texas and extreme northeastern Sonora, Mexico-(the Madrean sky islands). It prefers open woodlands of warm, dry pinyon-juniper, juniper and desert riparian woods.Juniper titmice will sleep in cavities, dense foliage, or birdhouses. When roosting in foliage, the titmouse chooses a twig surrounded by dense foliage or an accumulation of dead pine needles, simulating a roost in a cavity. It forms pairs or small groups, but does not form large flocks. It may join mixed-species flocks after breeding season for foraging.The juniper titmouse eats insects and spiders, sometimes seen catching insects in mid air. It also eats berries, acorns, and some seeds, sometimes hammering seeds against branches to open them. The bird forages on foliage, twigs, branches, trunks, and occasionally on the ground. Strong legs and feet allows it to hang upside down to forage. Juniper titmice visit feeders with suet, peanut butter, and seeds.The song of the juniper titmouse is a rolling series of notes given on the same pitch. Its call sounds like a raspy tschick-adee.This species builds its nest in a woodpecker hole, natural cavity, or nest box, lining it with grass, moss, mud, hair, feathers, and fur. It breeds from March into July, with peak activity in April and May, laying 3–9 eggs, usually 4–7. The female is the primary incubator, the process of which takes 14–16 days. Young are altricial, and are tended by both parents in nest for 16–21 days. Parents continue to tend to young for another three to four weeks after the young leave the nest.The oak titmouse and juniper titmouse appear almost identical, but differ in voice as well as range. The oak titmouse has a browner back than the juniper titmouse. The oak titmouse gives a repeated series of three to seven syllables, each composed of one low and one high note, while the juniper titmouse song consists of a series of rapid syllables on the same note. Ranges overlap only in a small area in California. The tufted titmouse, which does not overlap in range, has whiter belly, rusty flanks, and black on the forehead. Less

The Western spiny-tailed iguana (Ctenosaura pectinata) is a species of lizard native to western Mexico. It was first described by German zoologist Arend Friedrich August Wiegmann in 1834. It is one of the larger members of the genus Ctenosaura, capable of growing to 1.3 m (4.3 feet) in total length (including tail). Less

The plateau tiger salamander or Mexican tiger salamander (Ambystoma velasci ) is a species of mole salamander in the family Ambystomatidae. It is typically considered endemic to Mexico, although its range might extend to the United States.Its natural habitat is grassland, including sparse forest and semiarid grassland. Breeding takes place in a range of aquatic habitats: deep volcanic lakes, shallow vernal pools, artificial cattle ponds, and ...
intermittent, fish-free stream pools. It exhibits facultative paedomorphosis.Ambystoma velasci is locally threatened by habitat loss due to urbanization, forest clearance, and water extraction, and also by pollution and the introduction of fish and frogs (Lithobates catesbeianus ). Less

The pygmy spotted skunk (Spilogale pygmaea ) is a species of mammal in the family Mephitidae. It is endemic to Mexico. Less

Lampropeltis annulata, commonly known as the Mexican milk snake, is a non-venomous species of milk snake. Less

Lampropeltis triangulum campbelli, commonly known as the Pueblan milk snake or Campbell's milk snake, is an egg-laying subspecies of non-venomous colubrid snake. It is commonly bred in captivity and is found in several color variations. When handled, it can discharge a pungent-smelling exudate from its cloaca as a presumed defense mechanism. Less

The Santa Catalina rattlesnake (Crotalus catalinensis ) is a species of venomous pit viper endemic to Isla Santa Catalina in the Gulf of California just off the east coast of the state of Baja California Sur, Mexico. No subspecies are currently recognized. A relatively small and slender species, its most distinctive characteristic is that it lacks a rattle. Less

Crotalus basiliscus is a venomous pit viper species in the family Viperidae. The species is endemic to western Mexico. The specific name, basiliscus, is derived from the Greek word for king, βασιλισκος (basiliskos), and alludes to this snake's large size and potent venom. There are no subspecies which are recognized as being valid. Less

The Cozumel coati (Nasua narica nelsoni ), or Cozumel Island coati, is a coati from the Mexican island of Cozumel, in the Caribbean Sea. It is in the family Procyonidae, which also includes raccoons, olingos, and kinkajous. Less

The Tres Marias raccoon (Procyon lotor insularis ) is a subspecies of the common raccoon endemic on the two main islands of the Islas Marías, an archipelago off the western coast of the Mexican state of Nayarit. Although sometimes considered to be a valid species, the Tres Marias raccoon is now regarded to be a subspecies of the common raccoon, introduced to the Islas Marías in the recent past. It is slightly larger than the common raccoon and h ...
as a distinctive angular skull. There are fewer than 250 mature individuals on the islands, they are hunted by the islanders and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated their conservation status as being "endangered". Less

The Tehuantepec jackrabbit (Lepus flavigularis ) is a jackrabbit endemic to Mexico. Less

The lilac-crowned amazon (Amazona finschi ) is a parrot endemic to the Pacific slopes of Mexico. Also known as Finsch's amazon, it is characterized by green plumage, a maroon forehead, and violet-blue crown and neck.The binomial of this bird commemorates the German naturalist and explorer Otto Finsch.In 2006, BirdLife International classified this species as vulnerable. In 2014, IUCN uplisted this species to Endangered. Less

The blue mockingbird (Melanotis caerulescens ) is a species of bird in the family Mimidae. It is endemic to Mexico, but has occurred as a vagrant in the southern United States. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist montane forests, and heavily degraded former forest.The blue mockingbird is uniformly blue on its back, tail, wings, head and underbelly. This color is a result of feather ...
structure rather than pigment, and therefore can look gray in the shade. It has a black "mask" surrounding its reddish-brown eyes. It has a rather long, slightly graduated tail, and dark blue streaks over its breast. Its bill is long, thin and slightly curved, and its legs and feet are black. Less

The Coahuilan box turtle (Terrapene coahuila ), also known commonly as the aquatic box turtle, is an endangered species of turtle in the family Emydidae. Unlike the other members of the genus Terrapene, this turtle spends roughly 90% of its time in water.It is a close relative to the common box turtle (T. carolina ). Researchers have therefore suggested that it developed from a nonaquatic species in order to survive in the desert springs of ...
Cuatro Ciénegas. Less

The elegant quail (Callipepla douglasii ) is a species of New World quail endemic to Pacific-slope thorn forest of north-western Mexico, from southern Sonora to Nayarit. These are common, mainly ground-dwelling birds, and the IUCN has rated them as being a "species of least concern". Less

The Bolson tortoise (Gopherus flavomarginatus ), also called the Mexican giant tortoise or yellow-margined tortoise, is a species of tortoise from North America. Of the six canNorth Ameri tortoise species, it is the largest, having a carapace length of about 46 cm (18 in). It lives in a region of the Chihuahuan Desert known as the Bolsón de Mapimí, which is located in north-central Mexico. Less

The Mexican parrotlet (Forpus cyanopygius ), also known as the turquoise-rumped parrotlet or the Mexican blue-rumped parrotlet, is a species of parrot in the family Psittacidae.There are two subspecies: Grayson's parrotlet or the Tres Marias parrotlet (F. c. insularis ) and F. c. cyanopygius. Less

The Transvolcanic jay (Aphelocoma ultramarina ) is a medium-large (~120 g) passerine bird similar in size to most other jays, with a blue head, blue-gray mantle, blue wings and tail, gray breast and underparts. The sexes are morphologically similar, and juveniles differ only in having less blue coloration. The iris is brown and legs are black. It is most readily distinguished by the plain (unstreaked) throat and breast, and the mantle ...
contrasting less with the head and wings. Less

The San Benedicto rock wren (Salpinctes obsoletus exsul ) is a small extinct passerine which was endemic to San Benedicto Island in the Revillagigedo Islands off Mexico. It was a subspecies of the rock wren. Less

The banded quail (Philortyx fasciatus ) is a species of bird in the family Odontophoridae. It is found only in Mexico where its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, subtropical or tropical high-altitude shrubland, and heavily degraded former forest. Less

The purplish-backed jay (Cyanocorax beecheii ) is a bird of the crow family Corvidae, with purple feathers on its back, wings and tail, and black feathers elsewhere. It is endemic to northwestern Mexico where its habitat is mainly dry deciduous forest. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed it as being a "species of least concern". Less

The black-backed oriole (Icterus abeillei ) is a species of bird in the family Icteridae. It is endemic to Mexico. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest, but it is also found in cities. It is one of the few species that can consume monarch butterflies due to evolving a tolerance to their natural poison. Less

The red-headed tanager (Piranga erythrocephala ) is a medium-sized American songbird in the family Cardinalidae, the cardinals or cardinal grosbeaks. It is endemic to Mexico. The red-headed tanager is around 15 cm (5.9 in) long, the male has predominantly yellow-olive plumage with a red head and throat, while the female has a yellowish forecrown.Two subspecies are recognised. Less

The collared towhee (Pipilo ocai ) is a species of bird in the family Passerellidae that is endemic to Mexico. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist pine-oak montane forest and heavily degraded former forest. It occupies mountainous terrain from about 1,500 to 3,500 m (4,900 to 11,500 ft).This species, at 21 cm (8.3 in), is a fairly large species. Among standard measurements, the wing chord is 7.9 to 9.2 cm (3.1 to 3.6 in), the relat ...
ively short tail is 8.9 to 10.6 cm (3.5 to 4.2 in), the bill is 1.5 to 1.8 cm (0.59 to 0.71 in) and the tarsus is 2.8 to 3.4 cm (1.1 to 1.3 in). Males weigh from 61 to 68 g (2.2 to 2.4 oz) and females from 54.5 to 62.5 g (1.92 to 2.20 oz). In terms of weight, and standard bill and tarsal measurements, this is the largest species of emberizid overall, although related species, including Abert's, canyon and California towhees, outrank the collared towhee in overall length, as well as tail and wing length. In the collared towhee, the chestnut cap, yellowish green upperparts, black cheek and breast band, gray flanks, and white chin are curiously similar to that of the chestnut-capped brush finch, but note the latter's thinner breast band and more golden (not whitish) supercilium. The towhee's trilling song interspersed with chips is also very different from the brush-finche's very high-pitched hissing song. Less

The Tres Marías amazon (Amazona tresmariae ) is an Amazon parrot in the family Psittacidae. Many authorities consider it a subspecies of the yellow-headed amazon (Amazona oratrix ), including the American Ornithological Society, but is afforded full species status by the International Ornithological Congress. It is endemic to the Islas Marías off the Pacific coast of Mexico. Less

The cinereous owl (Strix sartorii ) or Mexican barred owl, is an owl that is endemic to Mexico. Less

The tufted jay (Cyanocorax dickeyi ) is a species of bird in the crow and jay family Corvidae. It is endemic to a small area of the Sierra Madre Occidental of Sinaloa and Durango in Mexico.It is resident in relatively moist, epiphyte-laden subtropical montane forests, especially those with a large component of oaks. Less

The cinnamon-rumped seedeater (Sporophila torqueola ) is a passerine bird in the typical seedeater genus Sporophila. Less

The Baja pygmy owl (Glaucidium hoskinsii ) or cape pygmy owl, is a subspecies of northern pygmy owl restricted to the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. Although some taxonomists, including the International Ornithologists' Union, consider it to be a distinct species, other authorities, including the American Ornithological Society, do not consider it separate, and consider it to be a subspecies of the northern pygmy owl. Less

Worthen's sparrow (Spizella wortheni ) is a species of American sparrow that is endemic to northeastern Mexico. It was first described by Robert Ridgway in 1884 and named for the American naturalist Charles K. Worthen. This small bird has been listed as endangered by the IUCN since 1994. Less