Abstract

MAYA-MARTINEZ, Aixchel; POZO, Carmen  and  SCHMITTER-SOTO, Juan J.. Distribution patterns of Charaxinae (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) in Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. Acta Zool. Mex [online]. 2009, vol.25, n.2, pp.283-301. ISSN 2448-8445.

The objectives of this work were to ascertain which environmental, anthropogenic or geographic factors influence the present distribution of Charaxinae in Yucatan Peninsula and to identify distribution patterns which might be linked to biological conservation in the region. We obtained records from collections, literature and field, and analyzed the data with DCA and CCA. We analyzed both matrices, species data (17 species, 151 sites) and environmental data (11 independent variables, 151 sites). Six environmental, physiographic and anthropic descriptors, namely latitude, distance to Caribbean coast, mean annual temperature, distance to present-day urban settlements, altitude, and humidity were statistically significant. Distribution abundance of Charaxinae was higher towards north and south and lower in mid-latitude of the Yucatan Peninsula. We discerned five distribution patterns of Charaxinae in Yucatan Peninsula; each one formed by different species and with different optima along those six variables, confirming that seven species are indicative of conserved environments. We obtained distributional limits for some species according to latitude and humidity (Anaea troglodyta aidea).

Keywords : Biodiversity; butterflies; conservation; ecological biogeography; humidity gradient; indicator species; latitude; multivariate analysis.

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