La introducción y el cultivo de la rana toro (Rana catesbeiana). ¿Un atentado a la biodiversidad de México?

• Casas Andreu, Gustavo ^[1] ; Aguilar Miguel, Xóchitl ^[2] ; Cruz Aviña, Ricardo ^[2]
  1. [1] Instituto de Biología, UNAM
  2. [2] Facultad de Ciencias, UAEM
• Localización: CIENCIA ergo-sum, ISSN 1405-0269, Vol. 8, Nº. 1, 2001, págs. 62-67
• Idioma: español
• Títulos paralelos:
  • The Introduction and Cultivation of the Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana): An Attack on the Biodiversity of Mexico?
• Enlaces
  • Texto completo (pdf)
• Resumen
  • español

    Se analiza el efecto que la introducción y el cultivo de la rana toro (Rana catesbeiana) ha tenido en el ecosistema y la biodiversidad en México. Se recomienda el cultivo de especies nativas para sustituir a la rana toro.

  • English

    The bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) has a wide natural distribution in North America, as well as having been introduced into at least 16 countries for commercial purposes. In Mexico, this species was introduced, without any controls, into at least sixteen states. No preliminary studies were conducted to determine the possible effects and changes to the environment that might be caused by its introduction. The introduction of this frog into the environment, either through escape from cultivation or through indiscriminate releases, has been assesed in several countries, and represents a serious threat to the ecosystem and biodiversity. We recommend that the time is long overdue to undertake an inventory of introduction sites of this species in Mexico, and to evaluate the environmental perturbations that have occurred owing to its introduction. We also recommend that the feasibility of controlling these introduced populations should be assessed, with the ultimate goal of possibly eradicating them altogether. The cultivation of indigenous species of frogs would seem to be a desirable alternative. There are thirty three species of ranid frogs in Mexico, several of which attain large sizes and might be commercially viable options. The cultivation of native species would eliminate the problems associated with exotic introductions.