The data on the incidence and diversity of anomalies in amphibian populations in Mexico are primarily derived from opportunistic observations, which pose challenges for conducting comparisons and monitoring long-term trends. In this study, we document new cases of morphological anomalies in amphibians from the Sierra Madre Occidental and provide a systematic bibliographic review of reported cases across Mexico. During the 2023 rainy season, we conducted surveys in Surutato, Sinaloa, documenting nine cases of morphological anomalies, including the first documented case of dyscoria in the country. The bibliographic review covered 34 sources and identified 31 types of anomalies, with the family Ambystomatidae being the most affected. We observed significant ambiguity in the terminology used across reports, which hinders data comparability. To address this issue, we propose promoting a standardized approach to the description and classification of anomalies. Based on the available data, we estimate a national mean anomaly frequency of 18.43% in amphibians, which can serve as a preliminary benchmark for future studies. The most commonly identified causes of anomalies include agrochemical pollution and parasitism; however, in 37% of the cases, no specific cause could be determined. These findings underscore the importance of standardizing anomaly reports, as they can serve as valuable early indicators of environmental degradation.

Snakes of the genus Leptodeira are known to be predators with a wide variety of prey known in their diet. The predation observations reported here were made in the state of Sinaloa, in northwestern Mexico. Our study reports the first record of L. splendida and L. septentrionalis consuming dead toads of the species Incilius mazatlanensis. In addition, we report the sighting of L. splendida feeding on a live toad of Rhinella horribilis. Therefore, this is the first report of necrophagy for both Leptodeira species. The possibilities of chemosensory signals for prey detection in these snakes and opportunistic predation when live prey is scarce are discussed.

Documentamos el primer registro del camaleon de montaña Phrynosoma orbiculare en la Sierra Madre Occidental al norte de Sinaloa.

El estado de Sinaloa en México es una región con escaso trabajo de campo en el estudio de la herpetofauna. Aquí presentamos cuatro nuevos registros municipales de Coniophanes lateritius, Mastigodryas cliftoni, Salvadora deserticola y Tantilla yaquia para el municipio de Cosalá. Además, proporcionamos un listado de especies raras con más de 50 años sin registros en Sinaloa. De las 122 especies de reptiles registradas en Sinaloa, 19 (15%) requieren verificación de su presencia en el estado para aclarar su estado de conservación. Para tener éxito en la búsqueda de estas especies el esfuerzo de campo por sí solo es insuficiente, por lo tanto, sugerimos que el trabajo de campo debería estar dirigido apropiadamente en consideración de la distribución geográfica de las especies y de la búsqueda en localidades históricas, preferencias del hábitat, la dinámica fenológica reproductiva, así como muestreos en los sitios inexplorados con hábitats similares que potencialmente pueden mantener poblaciones de dichas especies.