HERPETOFAUNA IN A HIGH ALTITUDE ATLANTIC FOREST REMNANT FROM SOUTHEASTERN BRAZIL

Herpetofauna from a high altitude remnant in the Atlantic Forest

Abstract

Human activities have significantly impacted the Atlantic Forest, posing serious threats to its biodiversity. Notable gaps remain in our knowledge of wildlife inhabiting its higher montane regions, which are particularly important due to their unique biota. Investigating biodiversity in these high-altitude areas is especially critical for taxa that are dependent on water-related habitats and those that are vulnerable to habitat loss and the effects of climate change, such as ectothermics. Our study surveyed amphibians and squamate reptiles, providing notes on their natural history and morphology within a 3,600-ha fragment of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest in the Serra do Mar mountainous region. The area is located within the municipality of Nova Friburgo, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, and encompasses elevations ranging from 1,000 to 2,000 m. The fieldwork employed 552 hours of visual encounter surveys, 960 bucket-day efforts for pitfall traps with drift fences, and opportunistic sampling methods. We found 317 specimens, comprising 21 species of amphibians and 16 of squamate reptiles. The amphibians represented nine families, including 18 species endemic to the Atlantic Forest and three to Rio de Janeiro. The reptile assemblage encompassed five families, with nine species endemic to the Atlantic Forest. These findings highlight the region’s importance for maintaining biodiversity and highlight the need for further studies to support conservation actions to prevent increasing anthropogenic impacts.