Geographic distribution and conservation status of Mammillaria pectinifera populations

Abstract

Mammillaria pectinifera is an endangered cactus endemic to the Tehuacán Valley. In the mid-1990s, 6localities with few individuals were known. This information was crucial for protecting the species through nationaland international legal instruments. To enhance the knowledge on its geographic distribution and conservation status,exploratory expeditions were made: first throughout ecological areas similar to those known with existing populations,and later based on a predictive model of geographic distribution. Results show that the species is composed by atleast 31 localities and a much larger number of individuals, and suggest the need of stronger emphasis on explorationwith the best available methods and tools in order to assess the distribution, abundance and pressure on a slightlyconspicuous species. In spite of the substantial increase in localities, and considering the fact that 55% of them arewithin the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve, the cactus is under high anthropogenic pressure, suggesting thatthe species is vulnerable to disappearing in some localities if deterioration rates of its habitat are not reduced in theshort term.