Jalisco’s flora and fauna

He Jalisco state houses a large number of fauna species and at least 25% of the wealth of the total flora of Mexico. This biodiversity, intrinsically related to the landscape, the characteristics of the relief and the climatic conditions, is concentrated more in coastal areas, in forests and jungles.

Next, some examples of Jalisco’s flora and fauna are raised in order to know the important biological diversity that this state houses.

The Jalisco vegetation It is different in each of the ecosystems. In general terms, throughout this Mexican state, coniferous and oak forests predominate, as well as jungles. Although the pastures also highlight in the northwestern part and thickets in the Los Altos de Jalisco region. These environments, as explained later, characterize the type of Jalisco plants. In fact, according to the climates in the area, the distribution of Jalisco’s ecosystems and their species vary, so that:

• In the warm climate we find lianas, mosses, orchids, cedars, limits, coconuts and silver. They also highlight the tropical forests of CEIBA, widely resistant to the times of drought, and mahogany.
• The temperate climate highlights the pines (including ocotes), firs, ferns and birch. Also nanches, very important in forestry and ecology due to their rapid growth and adaptability to a variety of climatic conditions.
• In the semi -display climate it is characterized in terms of flora by pastures, Madroños, copales -which have a great medicinal and religious tradition in the area-, wicker (of the family of the willows) and cakes, such as the biznaga of Jalisco (Jaliscana Mammillaria), Mexican endemic species of the Cactaceae family.

These are only some of the more than 7,000 species of vascular plants in Jalisco. All of them can be classified into two large groups: angiosperms, plants that have flowers, and gymnosperms, flowers devoid of flowers. On the one hand, angiosperms are the most numerous and diverse plant group in Jalisco. They predominate in the southern region and in Costa Sur. Among the flower species stand out: palm trees and cactus. On the other hand, among the Jalisco Flora speciesgymnosperms have a majority distribution in the westernmost area, specifically in Costa-Sierra Occidental. In this group, fir or oyameles of the genus ABIES predominate, very abundant in high mountain areas.

Jalisco is one of the 5 states of Mexico with the greatest biodiversity of fauna. Such is that it houses at least 50% of the bird’s species of the country, 47% of mammalian species and 15% of the reptiles in Mexico. Despite the ecological importance of this state, not all species have a good state of conservation and, as in other parts of the planet, in Jalisco biodiversity is also strongly threatened.

Birds of Jalisco

This part of Mexico has a very rich avifauna, being many of the Mexican endemic species. The Jalisco Altos region stands out for its great diversity of birds, being possible to find specimens of: American Cernalo (Falco Sparverius), Jacana Norteña (Jacana Spinosa), common buzzing (Coragyps atratus), collar turtled (Streptopela Decaocto), Pijuy tick (Crotophaga Sulcirostris), collar duck (Anas Pathyncos), Cuervo llanero (Corvus Cryptoleucus), red cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), etc.

Jalisco mammals

Mammals are the group of Jalisco animals More studied by researchers, also one of the most threatened. In Jalisco’s land mastofauna, rodent species (Pacific gray squirrel or Sciurus colliaei) and the chiroptera (such as bats) are the most abundant.

However, among the more than 173 species that this state houses, it is also possible to find important Mexican land endemisms that do not belong to either of these two taxonomic orders, such as the pigmeo zorrillo (Spilogale Pygmaa) or the hare bitch (Lepus callotis).

Jalisco aquatic animals

With regard to aquatic species, fish, cetaceans and amphibians stand out. On the one hand, the sweetacuícola fish are the most abundant aquatic vertebrates, so they are widely distributed by the rivers and other water masses of the regions of lagoons, valleys and ciénaga. The most significant species can be found in the Ciénega region, specifically in Lake Chapala. Is the catfish (Ictalurus Dugesii), of great importance and commercial pressure, whose state of conservation is threatened.

On the other hand, frogs are the type of amphibian that has a greater distribution throughout the state of Jalisco. Among the most outstanding species are: the frog Leopardo (Lithobates Megapoda), the neovalcanica frog (Lithobates Neovolcanicus) and the waterfall frog (Lithobates Pustulosus). In addition to frogs, toads, salamandras and cecilias (which look like worm) are very common, especially in regions with good water availability such as Costa Sur, Centro, Costa-Sierra Occidental, Valleles and Sierra de Amula.

In marine and coastal environments, cetaceans such as whales stand out (Balanoptera Edeni, BALENAPTERA MUSCULUS and MEGAPTERA NOVAEANGLIAE), the dolphins (Delphinus Delphis, Attenuata Feresa, GRAMPUS GRUSEUS, Pseudorca Crassidens) and the zifios (Mesoplodon spp.).

Now that you know how Jalisco’s flora and fauna is, you may want to expand the information knowing what the flora and fauna of Mexico in general is.

There are currently around 19 species of animals in danger of extinction in Jaliscoof which 8 are birds, 5 are mammals, 2 are fish and 4 are reptiles. Knowing these data, we want to highlight some aspects about the situation of animal species in this Mexican state.

• As we can see, birds and mammals are the most threatened animals of animals in Jalisco.
• Among the in danger of extinction, the felines are, specifically the jaguar or Panthera oncathe ocelot or Leopardus Pardalis (threatened by poaching and degradation and destruction of their habitat) and the tigrillo or Leopardus Wiedii.
• Long -tapaty long -tailed musaraña are also in danger of extinction (Sorex Medopua) as a consequence of deforestation and spider monkey (GEOFFROYI ATELES) due to capture and illegal hunting.
• From the most threatened bird species we find the minor dive (Tachybaptus Dominicus), neovolcanic quail-colud (Dendortyx Macroura) that it is a Mexican endemism, the white tail Aguililla (Buto albicaudatus) and the chilguero clarry (Myadestes Western).
• It should also be noted that all Jalisco cetaceans have some type of special protection.

Know more animals in danger of extinction in Mexico in this other post.

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