Fire suppression and climate change have increased the frequency and severity of wildfires, but the responses of many organisms to wildfire are still largely unknown. In this study, we assessed the risk of habitat loss for amphibians, mammals, and reptiles caused by wildfires in central Mexico. We accomplished this by: (1) determining the likelihood of wildfire occurrence over a 12-year period using historical records and the Poisson probability mass function to pinpoint the most susceptible areas to wildfire; (2) evaluating species exposure by identifying natural land use that aligns with the potential distribution areas of biodiversity; (3) assessing species vulnerability based on the classifications established by the IUCN and CONABIO. Our findings have unveiled three regions exhibiting a concentration of high-risk values. Among these, two are positioned near major urban centers, while the third lies in the southeastern sector of the Nevado de Toluca protection area. Amphibians emerged as the taxonomic group most severely impacted, with a substantial number of species falling within the Critically Endangered and Endangered categories, closely followed by mammals and reptiles. Furthermore, we have identified a correlation between the location of risk zones and agricultural areas. This study revealed hotspots that can offer valuable guidance for strategic initiatives in fire-prone regions associated to the potential distribution of amphibians, mammals, and reptiles. Moreover, future studies should contemplate integrating field data to enhance our comprehension of the actual effects of wildfires on the spatial distribution of these animal groups.

In a brief study on the endemic lizard, Petrosaurus thalassinus, in the Cañon de la Zorra region of Sierra La Laguna Biosphere Reserve in Mexico, over seven days we aimed to gain a preliminary insight into their social structure by examining their behavior, morphology, and habitat use. We captured, marked, and measured 28 adults, and conducted 19.4 hours of focal observations on 47 marked and unmarked adults in the field. Males had longer snout-vent lengths than females, but females had greater mass than males of the same snout-vent length. Lizards exhibited 30 behaviors organized into eight categories. Most notably, while basking on rocks or sharing crevices they aggregated in groups of two to five individuals (< 1m apart) and in frequent visual contact (25/47 observations, 53.2%) while basking on rocks or sharing crevices. Although aggregated lizards showed high levels of mutual tolerance and signaling behavior, they exhibited little to no aggression. Larger lizards used taller rocks and took higher positions on them, but there was no difference between sexes. Furthermore, we observed P. thalassinus in interspecific interactions with Sceloporus hunsakeri and with Ctenosaura hemilopha. Our results indicate that P. thalassinus could have a more complex social system than reported for most lizards, which warrants further investigation. En un breve estudio de la lagartija endémica Petrosaurus thalassinus, en el Cañón de la Zorra, en la Reserva de la Biosfera Sierra La Laguna en México, a lo largo de siete días buscamos obtener un panorama preliminar de su estructura social al evaluar su comportamiento, morfología y uso de hábitat. Capturamos, marcamos y medimos 28 adultos y realizamos 19.4 horas de observaciones focales en 47 adultos marcados y no marcados en campo. Los machos tuvieron una longitud hocico-cloaca mayor a la de hembras, pero las hembras presentaron una mayor masa que los machos. Las lagartijas realizaron 30 conductas diferentes que se organizaron en ocho categorías. Los resultados resaltan la agregación de individuos en grupos de dos a cinco lagartijas, las cuales permanecían muy cerca (separados por < 1m) y en contacto visual frecuente (25/47 observaciones, 53.2%) mientras termorregulaban en rocas, o compartían espacios en grietas. Si bien las lagartijas agregadas exhibieron altos niveles de tolerancia mutua y despliegue de señales, también mostraron poca o ninguna agresión. Los individuos más grandes usaron las rocas más altas y ocuparon posiciones más altas sobre estas, pero no hubo diferencia entre sexos. Además, observamos interacciones interespecíficas de P. thalassinus con Sceloporus hunsakeri y con Ctenosaura hemilopha. Nuestros resultados indican que P. thalassinus podría tener un sistema social más complejo que el reportado en la mayoría de las lagartijas, lo que justifica una mayor investigación.