Espinazo del Diablo

The Espinazo del Diablo (Devil's Backbone) is a region of the Sierra Madre Occidental in the states of Sinaloa and Durango in northwestern Mexico.

The Sierra rises from the Pacific coastal plain of Sinaloa state, ascending from 200 to 3000 meters elevation eastwards into Durango.

Taller trees, including Brosimum alicastrum, Ceiba pentandra, and species of Ficus, grow in canyons and other areas with greater moisture.

Typical cloud forest trees include oyamel (Abies religiosa), Arbutus glandulosa, Clethra lanata, Magnolia tarahumara, Tilia sp., Trema micrantha, and Ostrya virginiana.

The most common pines are Pinus gordoniana, P. herrerae, P. leiophylla, P. lumholtzii, and P. oocarpa, together with Abies religiosa, Arbutus xalapensis, and Styrax argenteus.

Limited-range species observed in the region include the tufted jay (Cyanocorax dickeyi), eared quetzal (Euptilotis neoxenus), and thick-billed parrot (Rhynchopsitta pachyrhyncha).