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Copyright of Folia Pomeranae Universitatis Technologiae Stetinensis Agricultura Alimentaria Piscaria et Zootechnica is the property of West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A herpetological survey during recent expeditions to the foothills of the Cordillera de Colán in the Amazonas region of Peru resulted in new records and extensions of the geographical distribution of three poorly known species of reptiles: Dipsas welborni (family Colubridae), Gelanesaurus flavogularis (family Gymnophthalmidae), and Synophis insulomontanus (family Colubridae). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new population of the endangered Xantusia sanchezi, a species of night lizard, has been discovered in Aguascalientes, Mexico. This species is mainly found in rock crevices, decaying yucca and agave plants, and under the bark of trees. Xantusia sanchezi is endemic to Mexico and is known from six localities along the Río Grande de Santiago drainage. The newly discovered population represents the seventh known population of this species and is located in the Calvillo Municipality. The discovery highlights the importance of preserving the riverine corridors in the region. [Extracted from the article]

Brazil stands out for presenting the highest amphibian anuran diversity in the world. However, taxonomic studies that address characteristic of larval stage of anurans are incipient, representing only 62% of known species. We assess the species diversity of tadpoles from eastern Maranhão state, mid-northern region of Brazil based on morphological and molecular identification (i.e., 16S rRNA gene fragment), and we also provide characteristics of the habitats occupied by each species. We carried out 30 field samplings during 13 months in 16 environments along an ecotonal area, over five cities inside the limits of state of Maranhão, between the Maranhão Babaçu Forest and Cerrado ecoregions. We searched for tadpoles in a variety of water bodies, and the tadpoles that reached the developmental stage between 34 to 40 Gosner were morphologically identified. The tadpoles collected herein represent 26 species belonging to five families. The external morphology enabled the identification of 24 species, while the molecular data recognized 22 unique evolutionary units. The most represented family was Hylidae (Hylinae 11 spp., Phyllomedusinae one spp.) followed by Leptodactylidae (Leptodactylinae seven spp., Leiuperinae three spp.), Microhylidae (Gastrophryninae two spp.), and Bufonidae (two spp.). Our results show that oral morphology was the most important character for identifying tadpoles based on morphology, and the specific 16S rRNA primer was suitable for molecular identification. This study pioneers the use of both morphological and molecular data to identify tadpoles in the state of Maranhão. It also provides, for the first-time, habitat characteristic for the species. Our study reveals a high number of anuran species sampled at the larval stage in the region, identifies species that require further taxonomic and systematic attention, and extends the geographic distribution of six species, three of which represent new occurrences for the state. Our results strengthen the hypothesis that the diversity of amphibians from Maranhão is underestimated and highlight the importance of herpetological inventories in poorly sampled areas, decentralizing the knowledge of biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palaio Trikeri is a small 2.5 km² island in the Pagasetic gulf. We conducted the first herpetological survey on the island and confirmed the presence of 5 reptile species, specifically 4 species of lizards and 1 species of snake. Brief observations on other fauna were also made and are mentioned in the discussion. The identity of green lizards on Palaio Trikeri needs to be investigated, while further fieldwork could be carried out in the future in order to uncover the potential presence of additional species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Virginia Herpetological Society conducted a one-day herp survey at the future site of Powhatan State Park on 8 May 2010. During that survey, 15 species of amphibians and nine species of reptiles were documented. On 20 May 2023, thirteen years after the first survey, the park was revisited. During this survey, 25 species of amphibians and reptiles were documented including 15 species of amphibians and 10 species of reptiles. The most frequently found species was the Northern Cricket Frog with 63 being observed. In all 204 animals were observed during the survey period. Forty people contributed 218 person-hours of effort surveying the park during the one-day survey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Indonesian island of Sulawesi has a unique geology and geography, which have produced an astoundingly diverse and endemic flora and fauna and a fascinating biogeographic history. Much biodiversity research has focused on the regional endemism in the island's Central Core and on its four peninsulas, but the biodiversity of the island's many upland regions is still poorly understood for most taxa, including amphibians and reptiles. Here, we report the first of several planned full-mountain checklists from a series of herpetological surveys of Sulawesi's mountains conducted by our team. In more than 3 weeks of work on Gunung Galang, a 2,254 m peak west of the city of Tolitoli, Sulawesi Tengah Province, on Sulawesi's Northern Peninsula, we recovered nearly fifty species of reptiles and amphibians, more than a dozen of which are either new to science or known but undescribed. The incompleteness of our sampling suggests that many more species remain to be discovered on and around this mountain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In spite of the potential richness in biodiversity, Manipur is still one of the least explored areas in northeastern India. In this work, we report on our finding of four pit viper species, namely, Trimeresurus mayaae, T. salazar, T. erythrurus, and Protobothrops jerdonii in Manipur during our herpetological surveys in 2022. We affirm the identity of these specimens based on the combination of standard morphological characters and mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. Our study not only reports four new records of pit vipers for the first time in Manipur, but also extends their respective known geographical ranges. This information calls for further dissemination especially to health care sector, as it is on venomous snakes that could be of medical importance as regards human snakebites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The white-sand ecosystems in the Solimões-Negro Interfluve are among the less studied in Amazonia. Recent herpetological surveys conducted west of Manaus, Brazil (central Amazonia) indicate that white-sand forests host a unique anuran fauna comprising habitat specialized and endemic species. In the present study we describe a new species of rain frog belonging to the Pristimantis unistrigatus species group from the white-sand forest locally called "campinarana" (thin-trunked forests with canopy height below 20 m). The new species is phylogenetically close to rain frogs from western Amazonian lowlands (P. delius, P. librarius, P. matidiktyo and P. ockendeni). It differs from its closest relatives mainly by its size (male SVL of 17.3-20.1 mm, n = 16; female SVL of 23.2-26.5 mm, n = 6), presence of tympanum, tarsal tubercles and dentigerous processes of vomers, its translucent groin without bright colored blotches or marks, and by its advertisement call (composed of 5-10 notes, call duration of 550-1,061 ms, dominant frequency of 3,295-3,919 Hz). Like other anuran species recently discovered in the white-sand forests west of Manaus, the new species seems to be restricted to this peculiar ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peri-urban forests have both a protective and aesthetic role in cities, contributing to the health and well-being of their residents. Seich Sou is the peri-urban forest of Thessaloniki City, Greece, with an area of about 3000 ha. It offers protection from erosion and pollution, a place for recreation and it can also provide a wildlife refuge. To date, no thorough report on the Seich Sou's herpetofauna exists in the literature, which is the aim of the present work. The presence of 32 herpetofauna species (seven amphibians and 25 reptiles) has been confirmed in the peri-urban forest, after numerous herpetological surveys that have been conducted within a 17-year time period. Amongst them, eight are listed in the Appendix II of the Council Directive 92/43/EC, three are characterized as Near Threatened and one as Vulnerable in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Moorish Gecko (Tarentola mauritanica) is a successful colonizer that has been introduced in many European countries. In Greece, the species' presence is documented for at least 150 years now and it has been only recently introduced on the islands of Corfu and Lesvos, and the prefectures of Aetoloakarnania and Attica (Athens city). In this document we unify the current knowledge on the Moorish Gecko's occurrence in Greece, with new, unpublished records, museum archives and citizen science data, in order to generate an updated image of the species' extant distribution. This merge of data fills several distributional gaps and also extends the Moorish Gecko's range in two new areas, namely Fokida prefecture and Kos Island. Concerns about possible threats to native herpetofauna are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A review of 60 Virginia Herpetological Society biodiversity surveys conducted between 1991 and 2022 found that geographic, seasonal, habitat, and climate factors are impacting the prevalence of anurans found during surveys. Of 28 anuran species inhabiting Virginia, 25 were documented in surveys with three, Anaxyrus quercicus, Hyla gratiosa, and Pseudacris nigrita not being found at any survey, even when surveys occurred in locations within these species' ranges. Lithobates clamitans was the most commonly found frog, at 54 of 60 surveys (it was found in 90% of surveys occurring in its known range). Eighteen species of anurans were found in 50% or less of the surveys conducted in their known ranges. As a group, chorus frogs (genus Pseudacris), excluding Pseudacris crucifer, were among the least reported anurans during surveys, even when surveys were conducted within their known ranges. Surveys were conducted from March until September, with the majority occurring in May (46%). By conducting a pre-site survey in March and a post-site survey in June, many more species of anurans could be included in the final species tally for a given location. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because of its extreme isolation and lack of historical connection to a mainland, the Hawaiian Archipelago is thought to have no native nonvolant terrestrial reptiles. Several squamate species have been introduced to the archipelago, likely starting with early Polynesian contact, and increasing as human traffic in the Pacific has amplified. Of the earlier introductions, one species of skink, Cryptoblepharus poecilopleurus , belongs to a genus known for its ability to naturally disperse long distances, even across oceans. The earliest herpetofaunal surveys from Hawai'i describe the skink as widespread and abundant across the archipelago. A recent phylogenetic analysis reveals substantial haplotype divergence between Hawaiian individuals and other known populations in the Pacific, raising the possibility that this species was an early and natural arrival to the archipelago before human contact. Recent surveys suggest that the species has undergone a dramatic reduction in range across the archipelago, possibly due to the invasion of highly competitive species. Given this information, we aim to further assess the origin of C. poecilopleurus in Hawai'i, determine its current range, and suggest specific needs for future work. Here, we review the earliest European voyages in the Pacific that are known to have sampled C. poecilopleurus , review literature and museum specimens to develop an understanding of this species' history in the islands, survey the island of O'ahu to characterize its current range, and provide preliminary genetic analyses to show the relationship of the Hawai'i populations to the rest of the Pacific. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The report describes the annual meeting of the DGHT-AG Lacertids, which took place from March 17th to 19th, 2023 in Gersfeld/Rhön. A total of 42 participants attended the conference, which could finally take place after two years of cancellations due to the coronavirus. Various lectures were held on lizards and their habitats, including reports on trips to Slovenia, Croatia, Namibia, and Greece. The conference was a great success, and the next annual meeting of the AG Lacertids will take place again in Gersfeld from March 15th to 17th, 2024. [Extracted from the article]

Chalcorana chalconota was firstly described as Hyla chalconotus Schlegel from Java, and widely recognized as Rana chalconota Boulenger. This ranid frog species has widespread distribution in Southeast Asia. Molecular studies revealed that Rana chalconota is a complex species and consisted of several cryptic species. Among Sundaland population, this group was split into five species (C. chalconota sensu stricto, C. parvaccola, C. rufipes, C. raniceps, C. megalonesa), and together with C. labialis and C. eschatia, they nested in a monophyletic group. During herpetological survey in West Java, we collected two morphotypes of Rana chalconota from Pasir Angin, Bogor and evaluated their taxonomy status using morphology approach and molecular data with 16S rRNA mitochondrial gene. The results revealed two morphotypes belong to C. chalconota sensu stricto and C. megalonesa. The genetic distance of C. megalonesa between Java population and Sarawak (Borneo) population ranged from 2.4 to 2.6% that still below the threshold of species delimitation on the 16S rRNA gene. Therefore, these two populations are conspecific. This discovery of C. megalonesa in Java has contributed to increase the number of species of amphibians in Java to become 46 species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ammouliani is a small inhabited island of an area about 6.9 km2, located in the Gulf of Agion Oros, Chalkidiki, Greece. Hitherto, there have been no herpetological surveys on the island and thus its herpetofaunal composition is still unknown. In the current short note, records of amphibians and reptiles from Ammouliani Island are presented for the first time. A two-day expedition in Spring 2022 resulted in one amphibian and nine reptile species records, all found to occur in relatively low densities. The small number of species of the island and the low densities are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Records of biodiversity over time are important resources for assessing conservation priorities. However, such baseline data are missing for regions of key biodiversity importance. The Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania are known for their species richness and endemism, but not all mountain blocks have received the same attention. The Ukaguru Mountains, for example, have only infrequently been surveyed by herpetologists, with the first known herpetological survey in 1990. Here we compile and quantify all amphibian survey efforts in the Ukaguru Mountains in the past 30 years, publish an updated species list and comment on the health of amphibian populations and their habitat. We report on fourteen described species of amphibians, with potentially three additional species awaiting formal description. Of these seventeen lineages, seven are endemic to the Ukaguru Mountains. Although total species numbers remain low, compared with other Eastern Arc Mountains, surveys frequently recorded new species for the Ukaguru Mountains and for science. Worryingly, however, endemics, such as the monotypic bufonid Churamiti maridadi, have not been recorded in the past fifteen years. Our analyses show the region is becoming warmer and drier and is experiencing an alarming rate of deforestation. We find that over the past 30 years, dense forest cover inside the boundaries of the forest reserves has reduced by 8.4%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Doe Creek Wildlife Management Area in Accomack County, Virginia was surveyed for herpetofauna on 4-5 March, and 4-5 June 2022. A total of 15 species (9 anurans, 1 snake, 4 turtles, and 1 lizard) were found during the survey. Three species, Pseudacris kalmi, Chelydra serpentina,. Terrapene c. carolina are listed in Virginia's 2015 Wildlife Action Plan as species with special conservation needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Central Europe, watercourses are not considered important breeding habitats for most amphibians, including the Alpine newt Ichthyosaura alpestris, for which the reproduction in a lotic habitat has rarely been documented. However, two breeding sites of this species were found during a herpetological survey conducted in the Western Carpathian foothills. Thirty-nine kilometers of small streams were visually searched between 2015 and 2020, and two occupied stream sections were sampled 27 and 20 times, respectively. The Alpine newt adults (mostly in May) and then the larvae (from the end of July to October) were observed in stream pools, which are slower-flowing and deeper than the surrounding parts of the stream channels. One site was occupied in each of the six years, while the other in three (2016-2017 and 2019) out of five, which indicates that the choice of these stream stretches as breeding sites was not a single-year, peculiar case. Nevertheless, reproduction of the Alpine newt in a lotic habitat remains a rare phenomenon, making it difficult to investigate the reasons for choosing this type of breeding habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The herpetofauna of Amazonia biome is one of the richest in the world. However, there is a lack of information on its richness and distribution. Here we provide a list of the herpetofauna from the Environmental Protection Area of Lagoa dos índios, state of Amapá, Brazil, in the northern Amazon Forest. Sampling effort was conducted by active search in three distinct transects from January to May 2018 (rainy season) and August to December 2019 (drought season). We recorded 46 species composing the local herpetofauna, being 18 amphibians and 28 reptiles. Scinax ruber, Gonatodes humeralis and Helicops angulatus were the most abundant species. Regarding the conservation status, two species are categorized as Date Data deficient, (.Lysapsus bolivianus and Eunectes deschauenseei)> and one as Vulnerable (Podocnemis unifilis) in the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Podocnemis unifilis is also considered Near Threatened in the Brazilian Red List of Endangered Species. Our results suggest that local biodiversity is still underestimated and, if expanded, could increase the species richness in the area. This study represents preliminary trends and raise further questions concerning the herpetofauna assemblage of Eastern Brazilian Amazonia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Virginia Herpetological Society hosted a herpetological survey of Prince William Forest Park, a National Park located in Prince William County, Virginia. The purpose of this survey was to add to the information about the biodiversity of the park with known species occurrences and their abundance. Previous surveys that have taken place at the park have emphasized biodiversity of all taxa (“Bioblitz”), and there is ongoing research into stream habitats and how they are used by salamanders. For this survey, several different areas of the park were divided among volunteers. Volunteers searched for herpetofauna by flipping woody debris and rocks, dip netting vernal pools and streams, listening for calling anurans, and by chance encounter. The efforts of the volunteers yielded a total of 27 species that were captured or positively identified, including 14 amphibians and 13 reptiles. Future surveys should concentrate on the northern and central parts of the park, due to parking constraints and park activity, these areas were not heavily surveyed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the results of herpetological surveys in two adjacent mountains where the EcoMinga Foundation protects the cloud forest in the Upper Rio Pastaza watershed, in the Llanganates Sangay Ecological Corridor in Ecuador. A rapid assessment of the amphibian communities of the study sites reveals a diverse and heterogeneous composition, dominated by terrestrial frogs from the genus Pristimantis. We also identify a cryptic diversity with a significant number of candidate new species. We describe two new species of terrestrial frogs of the genus Pristimantis. Pristimantis maryanneae sp. nov. is characterised by not having tympanum externally visible and having 2-3 subconical tubercles in the upper eyelid; and Pristimantis burtoniorum sp. nov. is characterised by the presence of red colouration in hidden surfaces of the hind-limbs, tubercles on the upper eyelid, interorbital tubercle and a row of rounded tubercles along the snout to the tip and a pale red venter with dark brown mottled pattern. Our samples from the two Reserves do not share species between them, so the proportion of shared species seems to be relatively low. In addition, we highlight the importance of updating the knowledge of amphibians that are restricted to this important conservation region and comment about the threats and composition of the amphibian communities on the eastern slopes of the Upper Rio Pastaza watershed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sweet's Farm is a 157-hectare site located in Highland County, VA. From April 2017--May 2021 efforts were made to document the herpetofaunal biodiversity at this site using a variety of survey methods, including visual encounter surveys, bioacoustics surveys, road surveys, cover boards, and aquatic turtle traps. A total of 20 species, including 13 amphibians and 7 reptiles, were recorded over the survey period. Based on survey results, two species listed by the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources as Species of Greatest Conservation Need in their 2015 Wildlife Action Plan were identified, including the Woodland Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina [Linnaeus, 1758]) and Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina [Linnaeus, 1758]). Of these, T. c. carolina was identified from shell fragments only. The presence of the Gray Treefrog (Hyla versicolor LeConte, 1825) was verified as a new county record. DNA barcoding was used to confirm the identities of three species, including the Northern Dusky Salamander (Desmognathus fuscus [Green, 1818]), Northern Two-lined Salamander (Eurycea bislineata [Green, 1818]), and Green Frog (Lithobates clamitans [Latreille, 1801]). These initial surveys serve to inform conservation management, facilitate research and educational opportunities, and provide a baseline for monitoring changes in the populations of amphibians and reptiles at Sweet's Farm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad is the property of Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Instituto de Biologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The herpetological knowledge of southern Mindanao is one of the largest gaps in Philippine herpetology. To augment this, we generated a comprehensive list of amphibians and reptiles found along the southern slope of Mount Busa in Sarangani Province, Philippines between June 2018 and August 2020 using opportunistic sampling in various microhabitats across different forest types. We recorded at least 68 species of herpetofauna, of which 28 species were amphibians and 40 species were reptiles. Around 65% of the species recorded are endemic to the Philippines. Mount Busa appears to harbor a relatively rich herpetological diversity that is needing conservation and scientific attention. Our study provides a glimpse of the herpetological diversity of southern Mindanao, but we emphasized that more field-based research is needed in nearby areas to improve our understanding of the herpetological community in the region, thereby overcoming Linnean and Wallacean shortfalls in our knowledge of Philippine amphibians and reptiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mattaponi Wildlife Management Area in Caroline County, Virginia was surveyed for amphibians and reptiles on 11-13 June 2021. A total of 24 species (11 anurans, 3 salamanders, 4 turtles, 3 lizards, and 3 snakes) were observed during the survey. Three of the species are listed in Virginia’s 2015 Wildlife Action Plan as species with special conservation needs; Lithobates virgatipes (Tier IIIa), Scaphiopus holbrookii (Tier IVc), and Terrapene c. carolina (Tier IIIa). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Milne Bay Region of southeasternmost Papua New Guinea comprises a small portion of mainland New Guinea and several offshore islands, totaling 15,000 km2 in land area. I numerically summarize the literature and findings from my field surveys of the region's herpetofauna and show that it contains the greatest known assemblage of range-restricted endemic herpetofauna globally for such a small area. Further, most of these species occupy only one or two of 11 small areas of local endemism within the region. I compare the number and density of endemic herpetofauna in the Milne Bay Region to other regions of notable endemic biodiversity and find it to be far larger than that in the large majority of these other "hotspots", despite the much larger sizes of those areas. Herpetofaunal surveys within the Milne Bay Region are more complete than for other taxa, but it is clear that this region holds a large trove of range-restricted endemic species within less well-studied groups too. The driver of this endemic diversity is the ongoing geological dismemberment and uplift of the region resulting from the opening of the Woodlark Rift. Prior ignorance of the biodiversity importance of this region stems from decades of classifying New Guinea as a "tropical wilderness area", which has deprived that region of the conservation focus accorded the more famous "hotspots". One effect of this is that some of the areas of local endemism identified here are under immediate pressure for habitat conversion, especially Woodlark Island, which is threatened by both mining and virtually complete conversion to oil palm, posing a high extinction risk for scores of endemic species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Madagascar has historically suffered from high fragmentation of forested habitats, often leading to biodiversity loss. Neverthless, forest fragments still retain high levels of biological diversity. The Haute Matsiatra Region (south-eastern Madagascar) hosts the renowned Andringitra National Park and several surrounding isolated forest fragments embedded in a matrix of human-dominated landscape. During a herpetological survey conducted in the Region, we visited a total of 25 sites. We applied a molecular taxonomic approach to identify the collected material and generate new reference sequences to improve the molecular identification of Malagasy herpetofauna. We identified a total of 28 amphibian and 38 squamate taxa and provided a systematic account for each one of them. Nine of the identified taxa are candidate species, amongst which one was newly identified. We extended the known distributional range of 21 taxa (nine amphibians and 12 squamates). Although the largest forest fragments hold a higher number of species, we also detected a relatively high herpetological diversity in small patches. Our results highlight the importance of investigating small forest fragments to contribute to a better understanding of the patterns of diversity and distribution of the amphibians and reptiles of Madagascar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Six species of alligatorids occur in Brazil, but only three have been recorded from the state of Tocantins: Melanosuchus niger. Caiman crocodilus and Paleosuchus palpebrosus. The objectives of this study are to present a synthesis of the knowledge of crocodilians of Tocantins, describing geographical distribution of species, and some aspects of conservation. The exhaustive compilation of records in the literature, herpetological collections and surveys carried out in the field by the authors confirmed the occurrence also of Paleosuchus trigonatus. Although a specimen of C. latirostris was reported from Tocantins, it was possibly erroneously labeled. To investigate knowledge gaps, we divided the state into 95 grid cells of 300,000 hectares. Only' 55% of Tocantins State has received some sampling for crocodilians, regardless of the method of registration. Only 12% of the state has been sampled considering any level of documentation and only' 1.6% of the state had collection and deposit of specimens in a scientific collection. Only P. trigonatus does not have records within full-protection conservation areas and/or indigenous lands in Tocantins State. Hunting pressure and dams on the Tocantins River may lead to a decrease in the density of Al. niger. A systematic program for monitoring and surveying for caimans is suggested to consolidate the knowledge of this animal group in Tocantins State. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical watershed ecosystems support heterogeneous habitats and diverse non-human species assemblages, together providing ecosystem services to humans. Amphibians and reptiles are recognized as sensitive indicators of ecosystem "health," related to beneficial services (provisional, regulating, cultural, structural, functional) human societies receive from terrestrial watersheds. The Taguibo Watershed supplies fresh drinking water to Butuan City in the Caraga Region of northeast Mindanao Island. However, very little is known about the herpetofauna of the area. Here, we synthesize biodiversity data from historical (1971, 1979) and recent (2013, 2017) herpetological surveys from the region. We utilize specimen-associated occurrence records and natural history information to produce a species inventory, analyze their habitat utilization, and characterize diversity metrics to describe herpetological communities of the watershed - resulting in 44 species (27 new records). A number of historically-documented species persist, having partitioned riparian and terrestrial habitat types in dipterocarp and secondary-growth forests of Taguibo. Reptiles exhibit little overlap in the use of microhabitats - in contrast to amphibians, which exhibit either unique or frequently shared microhabitat substrates. In terrestrial microhabitats (not immediately associated with water), many newly-recorded reptiles and amphibians (particularly, of the genus Platymantis) partition space predictably - either occupying a single microhabitat or, in one species (a pit viper, Tropidolaemus subannulatus), two microhabitats. We anticipate that our initial characterization of Taguibo's herpetofauna may serve as a baseline to promote further research and facilitate conservation initiatives. We emphasize the importance of primary sources - field-based surveys and re-surveys - and open-access biodiversity data served via online platforms that provide live, transparent access to original, unaltered data. Anthropogenic threats involving economic-driven activities present a need for field-based research in support of watershed management. Periodic, survey, and re-survey studies - continuously updating earlier work - are the most reliable, repeatable, and publicly-transparent use of biodiversity survey data in support of societal benefits and ecosystem services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine, for the first time, biogeographic patterns in a series of tropical montane coastal systems in northern South America. We use amphibians and reptiles, which constitute the most critical communities based upon the prevalence of endemic taxa, to assess the region's biodiversity. The montane coastal system spans an east-west distance of 925 km. It includes peaks ranging from 549 m to 2765 m above sea level and encompasses the montane complexes of northern Venezuela (including Isla de Margarita), an outlier at Santa Marta (Colombia), and ranges on the islands Trinidad and Tobago. The area supports 14 family level amphibian clades and 23 family level reptile clades. Fieldwork, museum specimen surveys, and a literature review suggest that biodiversity decreases at higher elevations. Here we examine the biogeographic patterns in the region to assess the role of the montane systems as possible refugia. We also look at the possible island and sky island effects using data from altitudes >200 m. At lower elevations, we tabulated 294 species, comprising 112 amphibians and 182 reptiles. About 45% of these taxa are endemic or exclusive to different sub-regions. At mid-elevation montane cloud forests, we find a much-reduced biodiversity with a total of 125 species (66 amphibians and 59 reptiles) exclusive or restricted to the region, and few species shared between systems. We find that biogeographical patterns follow a natural topographic disposition above 200 m in elevations. At the lower elevation cut off, there are 118 species (26 amphibians and 92 reptiles) shared among two or more of the studied mountain systems, suggesting a common origin and dispersal events, despite what seem to be topographic barriers. Biogeographical relationships support a topographic disposition of the region with close associations between the islands of Trinidad and Tobago, the Paria Range and the Turimiquire Massif, and close associations between the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and the Sierra de San Luis. Overall, the biogeographic relationships between amphibians and reptiles are similar. Species diversity in the eastern Caribbean region is less rich than in the west. This study includes the first herpetological surveys at the two easternmost mountains (Cerro La Cerbatana and Campeare) belonging to the Paria Range biogeographic unit, and aims to contribute to a better understanding of the rich biodiversity of the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated the herpetofaunal monitoring program on a state-owned property in the Rolling Plains ecoregion of Texas to determine whether the current study design and survey effort are meeting the following monitoring objectives: (1) inventory herpetofaunal diversity on the property, (2) improve understanding of herpetofaunal habitat preferences, and (3) track herpetofaunal response to land management activities. We used the iChao1 species richness estimator to evaluate the sample completeness of the current dataset, which was collected intermittently from 2004 to 2016. Species richness was evaluated by site and year as well as pooled across sites and years. Observed species richness across all sites and years was 23 species, and estimated richness was 23.999 (23.090–34.052, 95% CI). Observed species richness for each year was less than the cumulative total, with 20 species observed in 2004, 6 species observed in 2013, 11 species observed in 2014, and 19 species observed in 2016. The estimated species richness for individual years of sampling ranged from 6.250 to 39.320 species. Our analysis suggests that inadequate sampling design and effort prevents all three objectives from being addressed using the existing dataset. Necessary improvements to the monitoring program to meet all objectives include increasing the spatial and temporal scale of the monitoring effort and utilizing a random sampling protocol. Monitoring methods that address variation in detection probability, such as occupancy and mark-recapture, will also need to play a role. Our findings show that monitoring programs require substantial investment in materials and personnel to obtain datasets sufficient for rigorous biodiversity monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Darevskia parvula is a rock lizard that is endemic for Anatolia. The known distribution range of the species is limited on eastern and northeastern Anatolia. Although many morphological studies have been carried out on the species, there are also molecular studies to construct its taxonomy in recent years. Four adult lizard specimens were collected from eastern Anatolia in 2016 during a herpetological field survey. We present a summary of a morphological features, and report new locality which is the westernmost record (Çayırlı Village, Erzincan) for D. parvula sensu lato in Turkey. Our finding largely extends the known distribution of the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A herpetofaunal inventory was conducted on Bidong Island, Terengganu, Peninsular Malaysia. It incorporates data from a recent herpetological survey conducted from 1 to 3 April 2019 with reptile records from previous publications. Specimens were collected with drift-fenced pitfall traps and taxa were recorded with visual encounter surveys (VES). In total, 18 species of reptiles and amphibians were recorded, including three species of frogs, 12 species of lizards, and three species of snakes. Six species from the present survey are new records for the island. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achalinus, commonly known as odd-scaled snakes due to their unique scutellation, are a fascinating group of xenodermid snakes distributed throughout east Asia. Currently, northern Vietnam is known to host six species of Achalinus, three of which are considered endemic. During recent herpetofaunal surveys conducted in the Bac Me District of Ha Giang Province, we collected a single specimen of Achalinus in a lowland region surrounded by secondary forest on karst. We conducted Bayesian and maximum likelihood phylogenetic analyses using multiple mitochondrial protein-coding loci and a ribosomal subunit to ascertain the phylogenetic position of the Ha Giang specimen among currently recognized odd-scaled snake species. The results of those analyses along with morphological differences support this specimen as representing a new species, which we describe as Achalinus zugorum, new species. We provide detailed morphological descriptions and comparisons of the new species as well as brief comments on the biogeography and conservation of Achalinus in northern Vietnam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Live trapping of small mammals in the Kouilou Département, Republic of Congo The present study's species' tally is on par with O'Brien's ([18]) Gamba complex small-mammal study (eight species after 2,000 TN). Small mammals' diversity can be used as disturbance indicators in natural ecosystems, and some studies highlighted a link between small-mammal species absence/presence and habitat condition (Nicolas et al., [17]). While the present study was exploratory in scope and only documented 10 small-mammal species, the fact that two of these species (20% of species collected) may be new to science is noteworthy and highlights the importance of undertaking such baselines (Nicolas et al., [17]). [Extracted from the article]

"Reka Veselina" is a protected site in the Veliko Tarnovo region and although it was declared in 2012, until now there were no specific data on the state of animal diversity within the area. Herpetological field surveys were conducted for a total of 10 days in the period April-May 2019. A total of 12 amphibian and reptile species were registered. All species except one are protected by national law and three (Emys orbicularis, Triturus ivanbureschi, Bombina variegata) are also included in the NATURA 2000 network. Species distribution was uneven along the river, highlighting the importance of including diverse habitats even in protected areas of small size. Results indicate that the protected site offers optimal conditions for most of the registered species and could serve as a blueprint for successful management of similar-sized wetlands [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fourteenth annual herpblitz was held on 15-16 June 2019 at Featherfin Wildlife Management Area, Virginia. A total of six species of amphibians (three anurans and three salamanders) and seven species of reptiles (one turtle, two lizards, and four snakes) were observed during the survey time period. This was the first amphibian and reptile biodiversity survey conducted at this WMA and thus serves as a baseline checklist that future surveyors can build upon. After surveying Featherfin we highly recommend WMA managers restore 18 hectares (45 acres) of the original property that were ditched and drained back into viable wetlands. Restoring these wetlands would provide needed habitat to increase the amphibian and reptile biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A herpetological survey of Appomattox-Buckingham State Forest and Holliday Lake State Park took place on 21 September, 2019. This was the second year in a row for the fall survey hosted by the Virginia Herpetological Society due to the large area of the state forest. The area has mainly been used for farmland and timber harvest and includes a variety of upland and bottomland vegetation as well as freshwater features. During this survey, different areas of the park were surveyed by two teams. A total of 122 specimens representing 26 species were observed, including 16 species of amphibians (nine frogs and seven salamanders) and ten species of reptiles (six snakes, three turtles and one lizard). In the future, the VHS plans to survey additional areas of both HLSP in Appomattox County and ABSF in both Appomattox and Buckingham counties. It is recommended that at least one future survey take place during the spring-summer activity season (February-June). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On 28 April and 5 May 2019 the Virginia Herpetological Society conducted a herpetological field survey of several diverse habitats located in Amelia Wildlife Management Area (AWMA) in Amelia County, Virginia to identify amphibian and reptile species within AWMA. This report provides the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) with an inventory of amphibian and reptile species for AWMA. Fourteen amphibian (12 anuran and 2 salamander) and twelve reptile (7 snake, 4 turtle and 1 lizard) species were positively identified. Noteworthy species included Scaphiopus holbrookii (Eastern Spadefoot), Heterodon platirhinos (Eastern Hog-nosed Snake) and Terrapene c. carolina (Woodland Box Turtle). The defensive display by the adult Heterodon platirhinos included open mouth strikes from a raised head cobra-like posture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated the accuracy of data records generated by citizen scientist participants using iNaturalist in a coverboard sampling scheme, a common method to detect herpetofauna, involving 17 species of amphibians and reptiles. We trained and observed 10 volunteers working over an eight-month period at a study site in Sonoma County, California, USA. A total number of 1,169 observations were successfully uploaded to the iNaturalist database by volunteers including a new locality for Black Salamander. Volunteers were generally successful in collecting and uploading data for verification but had more difficulties detecting smaller, camouflaged salamanders and photographing quick-moving lizards. Errors associated with uploading smartphone data were reduced with volunteer experience. We evaluated all observations and determined that 82% could be verified to the species level based on the photograph. Forty-five percent of the observations made it to the iNaturalist "research grade" quality using their crowdsourcing tools. Independently we evaluated the crowdsourcing accuracy of the research grade observations and found them to be 100% accurate to the species level. A variety of factors (herpetofauna group, species, photograph quality) played a role in determining whether observations were elevated to research grade. Volunteer screening and training protocols emphasizing smartphones that have appropriate battery and data storage capacity eliminated some issues. Our results suggest that a variety of factors can help scientists and resource managers improve the experiences and quality of the data in citizen science biodiversity programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A herpetofaunal survey was conducted in the Royal Belum State Park, Perak, Malaysia. The objective was to investigate the biodiversity of herpetofauna and at the same time survey for new records that have yet to be documented. The inventory was conducted using both drift-fenced pitfall traps and visual encounter survey for a 12-month period. At the end of the survey, 38 species of herpetofauna which comprised of 6 families of amphibians and 8 families of reptiles were documented. They consisted of 14 species of frogs, six species of lizards, nine species of geckos, two species of skinks, two species of varanids, four species of snakes and one species of turtle. Of these, 20 new records for the area were documented which encompassed of eight species of frog, two species of lizards, five species of geckos, one species of skink, one species of varanid, two species of snake and one species of turtle. This brings the total number of known amphibian and reptilian species in Royal Belum State Park to 17 and 29, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]