Global South cosmopolitans: the opening and closing of the USA–Mexico border for Mexican tourists

The US government has simultaneously increased efforts to close its border to unauthorized migrants, and opened the border to increasing flows of tourists from Mexico. In this paper I focus on the experiences of Mexican tourists who are able to freely cross the USA–Mexico border with US visas, given that their unique status as tourists from Mexico is an important element to consider because it organizes their daily lives, their moral understandings, and their experiences across the USA–Mexico border. I show how Global South cosmopolitans from Mexico benefit from class privilege in Mexico, but become legally vulnerable in the USA due to their racialization as Mexicans and lack of citizenship rights. This paper draws on ethnographic data and in-depth interviews collected in the border town of Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico between July 2009 and August 2010.     

Implications of early life stages in the natural history of the Gulf of Mexico sturgeon,Acipenser oxyrinchus de sotoi

Synopsis Gulf of Mexico sturgeon were collected during their natural spring spawning migrations from the Gulf of Mexico into the Suwannee River in Florida. Peak numbers were observed during March and April. During the summer periods the fish remained in the river over very localized bottom areas. In late fall, the fish migrated from the river into the Gulf of Mexico. Laboratory experiments revealed that maximum survival of eggs, embryos and larvae of Gulf of Mexico sturgeon occurred between 15 and 20° C. Although Gulf of Mexico sturgeon appear to have a high tolerance to warm water temperatures, their embryos and larvae exhibit high mortalities at temperatures of 25° C. Based on observations of Gulf of Mexico sturgeon migratory patterns and laboratory experiments we suggest that the timing and unusual migratory behavior of Gulf of Mexico sturgeon are associated with temporal water temperature changes in the river and the Gulf of Mexico. The requirements of a thermal refuge are discussed.     

Eimerians in Harvest Mice, Reithrodontomys spp., from Mexico, California and New Mexico, and Phenotypic Plasticity in Oocysts of Eimeria arizonensis

ABSTRACT Between May 1979 and August 1991, 48.7% (57/117) of the harvest mice ( Reithrodontomys spp.) examined from 10 localities in Mexico, California and New Mexico had coccidian oocysts in their feces. A total of 46.7% (49/105) of the Reithrodontomys megalotis examined were positive for coccidian oocysts; this included samples from five states in Mexico (47.1%, 8/17), three counties in California (66.7%, 4/6) and two counties in New Mexico (45.1%, 37/82); 66.7% (8/12) of the Reithrodontomys montanus from one county in New Mexico also were infected. Only two coccidian species, Eimeria arizonensis and Eimeria langebarteli , were found in these hosts. Oocysts of E. langebarteli were found only in R. megalotis : in all three infected mice from Madera County, California, in the only mouse from San Bernardino County, California, and in 63% (5/8) of the infected mice from four states in Mexico. Oocysts of E. arizonensis were found in R. megalotis in Mexico, California, and New Mexico and in R. montanus from New Mexico. Sporulated oocysts of E. langebarteli differed slightly from those in previously published reports by having wider oocysts and larger sporocysts. Sporulated oocysts of E. arizonensis were variable in size, with those recovered from R. montanus significantly larger in length and width and sporocyst width than those from R. megalotis . The structure of the oocyst residuum was polymorphic, both within and between host species, and within the same mouse; it could appear as one large globule, two globules, several to many smaller globules, or as a compact mass of many small granules. Oocysts with a variable residuum were larger than those with one globule in all oocyst/sporocyst dimensions. Only 9% (5/57) of the infected mice were discharging oocysts of both eimerians when examined.     

White mullet Mugil curema population structure from Mexico and Brazil revealed by otolith chemistry

The white mullet Mugil curema supports several fisheries in the neotropical region; nevertheless, the population structure is still elusive. The aim of this study was to assess the presence of adult management units and nursery areas from five sampling sites throughout the Gulf of Mexico and northern Brazil using otolith microchemistry. The Li/Ca, Na/Ca, Mn/Ca, Sr/Ca, Ba/Ca and Pb/Ca ratios were measured in otolith core (juvenile stage) and edge (adult stage) (N = 131) using laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry. Several ratios were significantly different between sampling sites for core and edge (P < 0.05). For otolith edge, permutational multivariate analysis of variance showed significant differences (P < 0.05) between all sampling sites from Mexico (except between Mecoacán and Tamiahua, P > 0.05) and between Mexico (pooled samples) and Brazil. Quadratic discriminant analyses showed jackknifed classification higher in the edge (66.6% and 99.5% for Mexico and Brazil plus Mexico, respectively) than in the core (46.3% and 76.5% Mexico and Brazil plus Mexico, respectively). The two cluster analyses based on the core microchemistry (Mexico and Brazil plus Mexico) produced three main clusters, which did not coincide with catchment areas. These results support the segregation of the M. curema adult life stages among several sampling sites from Mexico and Brazil; moreover, core analysis suggested that the nursery areas did not correspond to the capture sites or adults stocks.     

American travel deaths in Mexico. Causes and prevention strategies.

About 3 to 4 million Americans travel to Mexico every year, yet their mortality experience has never been analyzed. Fatalities among US travelers to Mexico during the years 1975 and 1984 were examined using a previously unanalyzed data source. The leading cause of death to all US travelers to Mexico was injuries (51%), with 18% of deaths resulting from motor vehicle crashes. Of all travelers'' deaths, 37% were due to circulatory diseases and less than 1% were due to infectious diseases. While the proportion of all deaths from motor vehicle crashes was similar for US citizens traveling in Mexico and US residents, travelers had significantly higher proportions of injury deaths due to aircraft crashes and drowning. Injury, rather than infectious diseases, appears to pose the greatest risk of death to travelers to Mexico. Physicians and travel clinics need to place greater emphasis on injury prevention when giving advice to clients traveling to Mexico.     

Six new and one previously described species of Pseudorhabdosynochus (Monogenoidea, Diplectanidae) infecting the gills of groupers (Perciformes, Serranidae) from the Pacific coasts of Mexico and Panama

Six new and 1 previously described species of Pseudorhabdosynochus (Diplectanidae) are described and/or reported from the gill lamellae of 5 serranid (Perciformes) fish species from the Pacific waters in Guerrero State of Mexico and Panama City, Panama. These species are Pseudorhabdosynochus guerreroensis n. sp. from the Pacific mutton hamlet Alphestes inmaculatus Breder (type host), rivulated mutton hamlet Alphestes multiguttatus (Günther), and spotted grouper Epinephelus analogus Gill from Mexico; Pseudorhabdosynochus urceolus n. sp. from the Pacific graysby Cephalopholis panamensis (Steindachner) from Taboga Island in Panama; Pseudorhabdosynochus spirani n. sp. from the starry grouper Epinephelus labriformis (Jenyns) from Mexico and the Perlas Archipelago and Taboga Island in Panama; Pseudorhabdosynochus fulgidus n. sp. from E. labriformis from Mexico and the Perlas Archipelago and Taboga Island (type locality) in Panama; Pseudorhabdosynochus tabogaensis n. sp. from E. labriformis from Mexico and the Perlas Archipelago and Taboga Island (type locality) in Panama; Pseudorhabdosynochus anulus n. sp. from E. labriformis from Mexico and Taboga Island (type locality) in Panama; and Pseudorhabdosynochus amplidiscatum (Bravo-Hollis, 1954) Kritsky and Beverley-Burton, 1986 from E. analogus and E. labriformis from Mexico and the Perlas Archipelago and Taboga Island in Panama. All new species are mainly distinguished from other species of the genus by the shape and size of the sclerotized vagina and haptoral structures. The present specimens of Alphestes, Cephalopholis, and Epinephelus spp. represent new host records and Panama represents a new geographic record for species of Pseudorhabdosynochus. The apparent common feature supporting a close similarity of these diplectanids is a single, secondary ejaculatory bulb with thickened wall.     

Trichinella infection in wildlife of the southwestern United States.

Several potential mammalian reservoirs of sylvatic species of Trichinella were examined from Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. During 1998-99, tongues were collected from a black bear (Ursus americanus) in Arizona; from 9 black bears, a coyote (Canis latrans), and a mountain lion (Felis concolor) in New Mexico; and from 154 coyotes, 32 raccoons (Procyon lotor), 13 opossums (Didelphis marsupialis), 4 ocelots (Leopardus pardalis), 3 bobcats (Lynx rufus), and 5 feral hogs (Sus scrofa) in southern Texas. Larvae of Trichinella murrelli were identified by a multiple-polymerase chain reaction analysis in 1 black bear (11.1%) from New Mexico and in 7 coyotes (4.5%) of Texas, whereas Trichinella spiralis larvae were detected in the black bear of Arizona. This is the first report of Trichinella infection in wildlife of New Mexico and Texas and extends the distribution of T. murrelli into the southwestern United States near the border of Mexico.     

A predictable suite of helminth parasites in the long-billed dowitcher, Limnodromus scolopaceus, from the Chihuahua desert in Texas and Mexico

Eighty-eight long-billed dowitchers, Limnodromus scolopaceus, were examined for helminth parasites, 62 from Texas and 26 from Mexico. In total, 3,558 helminth parasites were obtained from this host, 2,273 from Texas birds and 1,285 from birds from Mexico. The component communities consisted of 22 species of helminths in Texas, and 19 in Mexico. Of a total of 26 helminth species recorded from the 2 localities, 15 were common to both, 7 found only in Texas, and 4 only in Mexico. Fifty-nine of 62 Texas birds and 25 of 26 birds from Mexico were infected. The most prevalent helminth for Texas was the cestode Shipleya inermis. The cestode Aploparaksis retroversa was the most abundant, accounting for 37% of the total abundance, and was second highest in prevalence. Five species of cestodes, A. retroversa, Aploparaksis diagonalis, Aploparaksis occidentalis, Aploparaksis rissae, and Shipleya inermis accounted for 79% of total abundance. In the sample from Mexico, S. inermis was also highest in prevalence, followed by the nematode Hystrichis tricolor. The cestode A. retroversa was highest in abundance at 50% of the total, and was third highest in prevalence. Mean species richness, diversity, and evenness were similar among the component communities of Texas and Mexico. A predictable suite of aploparaksid cestodes, together with the cestode S. inermis, constituted 79%, and 61%, of total abundance for the component communities of Texas and Mexico, respectively, and were present in all component communities for locality, season, and year. The cestodes, A. retroversa and S. inermis, were the dominant species in all component communities. Differences among component communities and low similarities for all other comparisons were largely caused by less predictable suites of helminth species. A checklist of helminth parasites reported for long-billed dowitchers is included.     

Book Reviews

Book reviewed in this article:
ARCHEOLOGY: Papers of the New World Archaeological Foundation
No. 6. The Carved Human Femurs from Tomb 1, Chiapa de Corzo, Chiapas, Mexico . P ierre A grinier
No. 7. Archaeological Explorations in the Region of the Frailesca, Chiapas, Mexico . C arlos N avarrete
Nos. 8–11. Excavations at Chiapa de Corzo, Chiapas, Mexico . G areth W. L owe
No. 12. Mound 5 and Minor Excavations, Chiapa de Corzo, Chiapas, Mexico . G areth W. L owe
No. 13. Ceramic Stratigraphy at Santa Cruz, Chiapas, Mexico . W illiam T. S anders
No. 14. The Santa Marta Rock Shelter, Ocozocoautla, Chiapas, Mexico . R ichard S. M ac N eish and F redrick A. P eterson     

Mexico in the International Reptile Skin Trade: a Case Study

This paper examines the role of Mexico as importer, manufacturer, producer and distributor centre of reptile skins from non-native and native species, through a combination of documentary research and survey methods. A number of key findings were derived from this study. Although Mexico has adopted the “System for the Conservation, Management and Sustainable Use of Wildlife” (SUMA), the country still relies on reptile skins from non-native species. In contrast, the smaller numbers of skins used from native species mainly derive from captive breeding schemes that although biologically sustainable, provide no incentive for habitat conservation. Sustainable use of reptile skins from native species could positively encourage conservation in Mexico. However, as a megadiverse country with potential to produce wildlife, Mexico will have to implement an appropriate regulatory framework to support local communities to promote the sustainable use of native species.     

Helminths of the Virginia opossum Didelphis virginiana (Mammalia: Didelphidae) in Mexico

The goal of this study was to provide further information about helminth parasites of Virginia opossum Didelphis virginiana Kerr, 1792 from Mexico. During routine faunal investigations between 1958 and 2001, 101 opossum were necropsied. Nineteen taxa of helminths were collected, representing 13 genera from hosts in 27 localities from Mexico. There are 58 new locality records, with 6 species recorded in Mexico for the first time: Brachylaima virginiana Dickerson, 1930; Cruzia americana Mapleston, 1930; Didelphonema longispiculata (Hill, 1939); Didelphostrongylus hayesi Prestwood, 1976; Viannaia didelphis Travassos, 1914; and Viannaia viannai Travassos, 1914. This increases the number of helminth taxa previously known for this host in Mexico to 28.     

Molecular phylogenetics of Floridosentis ward, 1953 (Acanthocephala: Neoechinorhynchidae) parasites of mullets (Osteichthyes) from Mexico, using 28S rDNA sequences

Species of Floridosentis (Acanthocephala) are common parasites of mullets (Mugil spp., Mugilidae) found in tropical marine and brackish water in the Americas. Floridosentis includes 2 species distributed in Mexico, i.e., Floridosentis pacifica, restricted to the Pacific Ocean near Salina Cruz, Oaxaca, and Floridosentis mugilis, distributed along the coast of the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. We sampled 18 populations of F. mugilis and F. pacifica (12 from the Pacific and 6 from the Gulf of Mexico) and sequenced a fragment of the rDNA large subunit to evaluate phylogenetic relationships of populations of Floridosentis spp. from Mexico. Species identification of museum specimens of F. mugilis from the Pacific Ocean was confirmed by examination of morphology traits. Phylogenetic trees inferred with maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian inference indicate that Floridosentis is monophyletic comprising of 2 major well-supported clades, the first clade corresponding to F. mugilis from the Gulf of Mexico, and the second to F. pacifica from the Pacific Ocean. Genetic divergence between species ranged from 7.68 to 8.60%. Intraspecific divergence ranged from 0.14 to 0.86% for F. mugilis and from 1.72 to 4.49% for F. pacifica. Data obtained from diagnostic characters indicate that specimens from the Pacific Ocean in Mexico have differences in some traits among locations. These results are consistent with the phylogenetic hypothesis, indicating that F. pacifica is distributed in the Pacific Ocean in Mexico with 3 major lineages.     

Morphometric Analysis of Sunflower (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Helianthus annuus</Emphasis> L.) Achenes from Mexico and Eastern North America<Superscript>1</Superscript>

Morphometric Analysis of Sunflower ( Helianthus annuus L.) Achenes from Mexico and Eastern North America. Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) has played a major role in the evolution of agricultural systems in the Americas. The discovery of ancient domesticated remains from archaeological deposits in pre-Columbian Mexico offers new dimensions to widely accepted viewpoints on the domestication pattern of H. annuus. Although American sunflower populations north of Mexico have been examined extensively, Mexican indigenous domesticated landraces have not been studied in any detail. In this study, we morphologically assessed wild and domesticated sunflower achenes from Mexico and compared them to similar datasets from eastern North America. Additionally, we evaluated the utility of four computer-assisted shape measurements in discriminating between wild and domesticated sunflower achenes (fruits) and compared variation in achene size among modern wild and cultivated populations from both Mexico and the U.S. We found that, of the shape parameters tested, none were informative in distinguishing wild achenes from domesticated varieties. Subsequent size analysis, using conventional parameters of length, width, and thickness, showed that modern wild populations from Mexico had smaller achenes compared to modern populations from eastern North America. Domesticated achenes unearthed from Mexican archaeological sites, however, were significantly larger than the early domesticated specimens recovered from eastern North America. Our methodological results indicate that variation in archaeological sunflower achenes is better described by conventional size parameters rather than computerized shape analysis.     

A new species of Coreopsis (Compositae — Heliantheae) from Mexico

Coreopsis crawfordii is described and illustrated. It is also compared with themorphologically similar species, C. pringlei and C. rudis , also from Mexico, and a key to all the species of Coreopsis known from Mexico is provided.     

Microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA analyses of the genetic structure of blacktip shark (Carcharhinus limbatus) nurseries in the northwestern Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea

Abstract We investigated the genetic structure of blacktip shark (Carcharhinus limbatus) continental nurseries in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea using mitochondrial DNA control region sequences and eight nuclear microsatellite loci scored in neonate and young-of-the-year sharks. Significant structure was detected with both markers among nine nurseries (mitochondrial PhiST = 0.350, P < 0.001; nuclear PhiST = 0.007, P < 0.001) and sharks from the northwestern Atlantic, eastern Gulf of Mexico, western Gulf of Mexico, northern Yucatan, and Belize possessed significantly different mitochondrial DNA haplotype frequencies. Microsatellite differentiation was limited to comparisons involving northern Yucatan and Belize sharks with nuclear genetic homogeneity throughout the eastern Gulf of Mexico, western Gulf of Mexico, and northwestern Atlantic. Differences in the magnitude of maternal vs. biparental genetic differentiation support female philopatry to northwestern Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea natal nursery regions with higher levels of male-mediated gene flow. Philopatry has produced multiple reproductive stocks of this commercially important shark species throughout the range of this study.     

Sea surface temperature and the growth of the West Atlantic reef-building coral Montastraea annularis

Relationships were analyzed between sea surface temperature (SST) and annual growth characteristics (density, extension rate and calcification rate) of the Caribbean reef-building coral Montastraea annularis. Colonies were collected from 12 localities in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. Two well-separated relationships were found, one for the Gulf of Mexico and the other for the Caribbean Sea. Calcification rate and skeletal density increased with increasing SST in both regions, while extension rate tended to decrease. Calcification rate increased ∼0.57 g cm⁻² year⁻¹ for each 1 °C increase in SST. Zero calcification was projected to occur at 23.7 °C in corals from the Gulf of Mexico and at 25.5 °C in corals from the Caribbean Sea. The 24 °C annual average SST isotherm marks the northern limit of distribution of M. annularis. Montastraea annularis populations of the Gulf of Mexico are isolated from those of the Caribbean Sea, and results indicate that corals from the Gulf of Mexico are adapted to growth at lower minimum and average annual SST. Corals from both the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, growing at lower SSTs and having lower calcification rates, extend their skeletons the same or more than those growing at higher SSTs. They achieve this by putting more of their calcification resources into extension and less into thickening, i.e., by sacrificing density.     

Guadalupian and Lopingian (Middle and Late Permian) deposits from Mexico and Guatemala, a review with new data

This work describes stage by stage the biostratigraphy of the Middle to Late Permian in Mexico and Guatemala. Roadian deposits are very poorly represented, as a consequence of tectonic movements at the end of the Kungurian/Leonardian stage. In fact Middle and Late Permian deposits are almost completely lacking in South Mexico and the whole Latin America, due to a probable climatic barrier. The main data concern the Las Delicias sequences from Coahuila, North Mexico, and the Mixteca Terrane, South central Mexico, with some precisions on the Wordian-Capitanian from Los Hornos (Puebla) and from Olinalá, Guerrero, respectively with the discoveries of Parafusulina sellardsi and Polydiexodina capitanensis. New data are provided on Capitanian mudmounds from Olinalá. A hypothetical reconstruction of the different terranes of Mexico at the Pangea stage, is finally presented.     

Genetic differences within and between species of deep-sea crabs (chaceon) from the North Atlantic Ocean

The deep-sea red crab Chaceon quinquedens is a commercially important crustacean on the Atlantic continental shelf and slope of North America. To assess genetic subdivision in C. quinquedens, we examined the nucleotide sequence of the mitochondrial 16S rDNA gene and the internal transcribed spacers (ITS) of the nuclear ribosomal repeat in samples from southern New England and the Gulf of Mexico. We compared those data to sequences from two congeners, a sympatric species from the Florida coast, C. fenneri, and an allopatric eastern Atlantic species, C. affinis. The 16S rDNA data consisted of 379 aligned nucleotides obtained from 37 individuals. The greatest genetic difference among geographical groups or nominal species was between C. quinquedens from southern New England and C. quinquedens from the Gulf of Mexico. Haplotypes from these two groups had a minimum of 10 differences. All 11 C. fenneri samples matched the most common haplotype found in C. quinquedens from the Gulf of Mexico, and this haplotype was not detected in C. quinquedens from southern New England. The three haplotypes of C. affinis were unique to that recognized species, but those haplotypes differed only slightly from those of C. fenneri and C. quinquedens from the Gulf of Mexico. Based on 16S rDNA and ITS data, genetic differences between C. quinquedens from southern New England and the Gulf of Mexico are large enough to conclude that these are different fishery stocks. Our results also indicate that the designation of morphological species within the commercially important genus Chaceon is not congruent with evolutionary history. The genetic similarity of C. affinis from the eastern Atlantic and C. quinquedens from the Gulf of Mexico suggests these trans-Atlantic taxa share a more recent common history than the two populations of "C. quinquedens" that we examined.     

Precarious legality: regularizing Central American migrants in Mexico

Regularization programmes for undocumented migrants are generally viewed as a form of transition from “illegality” to a secure legal status. Yet, as we argue in this article, in many countries, such as Mexico, this transition is often incomplete and reversible. This article discusses regularization programmes for undocumented migrants in Mexico before and after the introduction of the 2011 Migration Law and illustrates that the status migrants obtain is precarious, that is insecure and conditional upon their ability to meet requirements for status renewal. Focusing on Central Americans in Mexico, we suggest that many migrants have been unable to obtain or renew their status after new procedures were put in place in 2011. Coining the legality granted through Mexico’s regularization process “precarious legality”, we attribute it to the contradiction between Mexico’s stated respect for migrants’ human rights and the de facto commitment to immigration control.