Mexican Dry Forests - A Global Ecoregion
Home to the Mexican red-knee Tarantulas
Snapshot: Ecoregion 56
Size:
315,000 sq. km (121,000 sq. miles)
Habitat type:
Tropical and Subtropical Dry Broadleaf Forests
Geographic Location:
Central America: Guatemala and Mexico
Conservation Status:
Critical/Endangered
Quiz Time!
Do you know about the food habits of Mexican Redknee Tarantulas?
Answer:
Mexican Redknee Tarantulas are considered carnivorous mostly feeding on insects, small frogs, lizards, and mice. Tarantulas typically hunt at night when low light conditions help to hide the spider from its prey. The tarantula will sit and wait in ambush, capturing unaware victims with a burst of speed!
About the Area
Paralleling the Pacific Coast in southwestern Mexico and in Guatemala lie a series of most diverse tropical dry forests in the world, adapted to an absence of rainfall in certain months of the year.
This Global ecoregion is made up of these terrestrial ecoregions: Jalisco dry forests; Balsas dry forests; Bajío dry forests; Chiapas Depression dry forests; Sonoran-Sinaloan transition subtropical dry forest; Southern Pacific dry forests; Sinaloan dry forests; Sierra de la Laguna dry forests.Many trees here drop their leaves during the dry season but warm temperatures help to nurture abundant plant life, which in turns supports a plethora of animal species.
Local Species
Selected species include the Red-knee tarantula spider (Brachypelma smithi), Orange-breasted bunting (Passerina leclancherii), White-throated magpie jay (Calocitta formosa), and the West Mexican chachalaca (Ortalis poliocephala). Harder to find, but also present in these forests, are several kinds of Wild cats, including Pumas and Jaguars.
Threats
Urbanisation, increasing tourism, and exploitation of wildlife are high-intensity threats to the region, as are road construction, perennial plantations, and ranching.
Resources
• NationalGeographic.com
