The amphibians and reptiles of Luzon Island,Philippines, VIII: the herpetofauna of Cagayan and Isabela Provinces,northern Sierra Madre Mountain Range

We provide the first report on the herpetological biodiversity (amphibians and reptiles) of the northern Sierra Madre Mountain Range (Cagayan and Isabela provinces), northeast Luzon Island, Philippines. New data from extensive previously unpublished surveys in the Municipalities of Gonzaga, Gattaran, Lasam, Santa Ana, and Baggao (Cagayan Province), as well as fieldwork in the Municipalities of Cabagan, San Mariano, and Palanan (Isabela Province), combined with all available historical museum records, suggest this region is quite diverse. Our new data indicate that at least 101 species are present (29 amphibians, 30 lizards, 35 snakes, two freshwater turtles, three marine turtles, and two crocodilians) and now represented with well-documented records and/or voucher specimens, confirmed in institutional biodiversity repositories. A high percentage of Philippine endemic species constitute the local fauna (approximately 70%). The results of this and other recent studies signify that the herpetological diversity of the northern Philippines is far more diverse than previously imagined. Thirty-eight percent of our recorded species are associated with unresolved taxonomic issues (suspected new species or species complexes in need of taxonomic partitioning). This suggests that despite past and present efforts to comprehensively characterize the fauna, the herpetological biodiversity of the northern Philippines is still substantially underestimated and warranting of further study.     

The respiratory consequences of feeding in amphibians and reptiles

Many ectothermic vertebrates ingest very large meals at infrequent intervals. The digestive processes associated with these meals, often coupled with an extensive hypertrophy of the gastrointestinal organs, are energetically expensive and metabolic rate, therefore, increases substantially after feeding (specific dynamic action, SDA). Here, we review the cardio-respiratory consequences of SDA in amphibians and reptiles. For some snakes, the increased oxygen uptake during SDA is of similar magnitude to that of muscular exercise, and the two physiological states, therefore, exert similar and profound demands on oxygen transport by the cardiorespiratory systems. In several species, SDA is attended by increases in heart rate and overall systemic blood flows, but changes in blood flow distribution remain to be investigated. In snakes, the regulation of heart rate appears to involve a non-adrenergic-non-cholinergic mechanism, which may be a regulatory peptide released from the gastrointestinal system during digestion. Digestion is also associated with a net acid secretion to the stomach that causes an increase in plasma HCO3- concentration (the 'alkaline tide'). Experiments on chronically cannulated amphibians and reptiles, show that this metabolic alkalosis is countered by an increased P(CO2), so that the change in arterial pH is reduced. This respiratory compensation of arterial pH is accomplished through a reduction in ventilation relative to metabolism, but the estimated reductions in lung P(O2) are relatively small. The SDA response is also associated with haematological changes, but large interspecific differences exist. The studies on cardiorespiratory responses to digestion may allow for a further understanding of the physiological and structural constraints that limits the ability of reptiles and amphibians to sustain high metabolic rates.     

中国两栖、爬行动物更新名录

本文在2015年发表的爬行动物名录及同年《中国两栖类信息系统》发布的两栖动物名录的基础上, 通过整理新发表的分类学研究及先前名录遗漏的部分早期文献, 更新了截至2019年底中国现生本土两栖、爬行动物物种名录。2015-2019年间, 中国两栖动物新记录1科, 新描述2属, 恢复1属有效性, 新记录1属, 新描述或恢复有效种74种, 新增国家纪录18种; 另6属、8种的有效性未得到近年研究证据支持(在此视为次定同物异名而未做收录, 后同)。同期, 中国爬行动物新恢复5科, 新描述1亚科, 新描述1属, 恢复3属有效性, 新记录3属, 新描述、恢复或提升有效种43个, 新增国家纪录10种; 另有5属、4种的有效性未得到近年研究证据支持, 并移除1属、4种在我国的分布纪录。此外, 通过整理2015年前文献, 爬行动物增补3属, 提升3亚种至种级地位, 增补国家新纪录3种, 另有3属、2种的有效性未得到近年研究证据支持, 同时移除1种在我国的分布纪录。综上, 截至2019年底, 我国共记录现生本土两栖动物3目13科62属515种(蚓螈目1科1属1种, 有尾目3科14属82种, 无尾目9科47属431种), 爬行动物3目35科135属511种(鳄形目1科1属1种, 龟鳖目6科18属34种, 有鳞目蛇亚目18科73属265种、蜥蜴亚目10科43属211种)。此外, 本文还对先前名录中部分爬行动物的中文名提出了修改建议, 建议恢复部分物种的惯用中文名。2015-2019年, 新物种及新纪录已知物种数量占现两栖、爬行动物物种总数的17.1%和10.2%。近年来, 我国发表的两栖、爬行动物新物种和已知物种的新纪录数量持续增加, 分类体系也在研究中不断完善, 建议今后及时地进行阶段性总结, 同时对存在的问题提出讨论, 以推动中国两栖、爬行动物分类学研究工作的进一步开展。     

The behavioral responses of amphibians and reptiles to microgravity on parabolic flights

In the present study, we exposed 53 animals from 23 different species of amphibians and reptiles to microgravity (mug). This nearly doubles the number of amphibians and reptiles observed so far in mug. The animals were flown on a parabolic flight, which provided 20-25s of mug, to better characterize behavioral reactions to abrupt exposure to mug. Highly fossorial limbless caecilians and amphisbaenians showed relatively limited movement in mug. Limbed quadrupedal reptiles that were non-arboreal in the genera Leiocephalus, Anolis, and Scincella showed the typical righting response and enormous amounts of body motion and tail rotation, which we interpreted as both righting responses and futile actions to grasp the substrate. Both arboreal and non-arboreal geckos in the genera Uroplatus, Palmatogecko, Stenodactylus, Tarentola, and Eublepharis instead showed a skydiving posture previously reported for highly arboreal anurans. Some snakes, in the genera Thamnophis and Elaphe, which typically thrashed and rolled in mug, managed to knot their own bodies with their tails and immediately became quiescent. This suggests that these reptiles gave stable physical contact, which would indicate that they were not falling, primacy over vestibular input that indicated that they were in freefall. The fact that they became quiet upon self-embrace further suggests a failure to distinguish self from non-self. The patterns of behavior seen in amphibians and reptiles in mug can be explained in light of their normal ecology and taxonomic relations.     

Spread of hemoparasites in reptiles and amphibians in Italy

Hemoparasites were harvested from 993 individuals belonging to 15 reptilian and 1 amphibian species, from various Italian localities. Hemogregarins were found in 10 reptilian species while a flagellate and microfilariae were found only in Tarentola mauritanica from Lampedusa. For each host species and place of origin the frequencies of hemogregarins are reported and discussed. Longitudinal studies with periodical thin smears were carried out on 5 Tarentola mauritanica, 4 Lacerta viridis, 26 Podarcis filfolensis, 10 Podarcis muralis, 38 Podarcis sicula, 8 Chalcides ocellatus. This material, whose study has not yet been completed, is made available by the author who strongly encourages further investigations on this subject.     

Climate warming and the decline of amphibians and reptiles in Europe

Aim We explore the relationship between current European distributions of amphibian and reptile species and observed climate, and project species potential distributions into the future. Potential impacts of climate warming are assessed by quantifying the magnitude and direction of modelled distributional shifts for every species. In particular we ask, first, what proportion of amphibian and reptile species are projected to lose and gain suitable climate space in the future? Secondly, do species projections vary according to taxonomic, spatial or environmental properties? And thirdly, what climate factors might be driving projections of loss or gain in suitable environments for species? Location Europe. Methods Distributions of species are modelled with four species–climate envelope techniques (artificial neural networks, generalized linear models, generalized additive models, and classification tree analyses) and distributions are projected into the future using five climate‐change scenarios for 2050. Future projections are made considering two extreme assumptions: species have unlimited dispersal ability and species have no dispersal ability. A novel hybrid approach for combining ensembles of forecasts is then used to group linearly covarying projections into clusters with reduced inter‐model variability. Results We show that a great proportion of amphibian and reptile species are projected to expand distributions if dispersal is unlimited. This is because warming in the cooler northern ranges of species creates new opportunities for colonization. If species are unable to disperse, then most species are projected to lose range. Loss of suitable climate space for species is projected to occur mainly in the south‐west of Europe, including the Iberian Peninsula, whilst species in the south‐east are projected to gain suitable climate. This is because dry conditions in the south‐west are projected to increase, approaching the levels found in North Africa, where few amphibian species are able to persist. Main conclusions The impact of increasing temperatures on amphibian and reptile species may be less deleterious than previously postulated; indeed, climate cooling would be more deleterious for the persistence of amphibian and reptile species than warming. The ability of species to cope with climate warming may, however, be offset by projected decreases in the availability of water. This should be particularly true for amphibians. Limited dispersal ability may further increase the vulnerability of amphibians and reptiles to changes in climate.     

The insular herpetofauna of Mexico: Composition,conservation, and biogeographic patterns

We compile a Mexican insular herpetofaunal checklist to estimate endemism, conservation status, island threats, net taxonomic turnover among six biogeographic provinces belonging to the Nearctic and Neotropical regions, and the relationships between island area and mainland distance versus species richness. We compile a checklist of insular herpetofaunal through performing a literature and collection review. We define the conservation status according to conservation Mexican law, the Red List of International Union for Conservation of Nature, and Environmental Vulnerability Scores. We determine threat percentages on islands according to the 11 major classes of threats to biodiversity. We estimate the net taxonomic turnover with beta diversity analysis between the Nearctic and Neotropical provinces. The Mexican insular herpetofauna is composed of 18 amphibian species, 204 species with 101 subspecies of reptiles, and 263 taxa in total. Endemism levels are 11.76% in amphibians, 53.57% in reptiles, and 27.91% being insular endemic taxa. Two conservation status systems classify the species at high extinction risk, while the remaining system suggests less concern. However, all systems indicate species lacking assessment. Human activities and exotic alien species are present on 60% of 131 islands. The taxonomic turnover value is high (0.89), with a clear herpetofaunal differentiation between the two biogeographic regions. The species–area and species–mainland distance relationships are positive. Insular herpetofauna faces a high percentage of threats, with the Neotropical provinces more heavily impacted. It is urgent to explore the remaining islands (3,079 islands) and better incorporate insular populations and species in ecological, evolutionary, and systematic studies. In the face of the biodiversity crisis, islands will play a leading role as a model to apply restoration and conservation strategies.     

Impacts of climate change on the amphibians and reptiles of Southeast Asia

Amphibians and reptiles will be adversely affected by projected rapid changes in climate in the next decades. Here, we review the known and potential impacts of climate change on the Southeast Asian amphibians and reptiles and make mitigation recommendations for both research and policy. Current amphibian and reptile distributions and ecologies mirror climate patterns, and we expect that adaptation to changes in these parameters will be too slow relative to their rate of expected change, and that pervasive changes will occur to species assemblages, communities, and ecosystem functioning and services. Southest Asia is a network of islands with relatively few mountains, effectively preventing most herpetofauna from migrating away from the effects of climate change. Reflecting specific known and hypothesized physiological and ecological thresholds, we estimate that in <50 years, amphibians and reptiles in Southeast Asia will have reached or exceeded most limits in their abilities to adapt to the effects of climate change and that temperature dependent sex determination, higher metabolic rates, and less bio-available water will have severe and irreversible effects on these organisms. We suggest that human decision-making and policy development have already lagged and that societal change is happening too slowly for effective mitigation. If we are to avert devastating loss of biodiversity and a complete meltdown of ecosystem services, we must quickly change our attitudes and thinking about how we interact with and use biological systems.     

The role of Thailand in the international trade in CITES-listed live reptiles and amphibians

Background

International wildlife trade is one of the leading threats to biodiversity conservation. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is the most important initiative to monitor and regulate the international trade of wildlife but its credibility is dependent on the quality of the trade data. We report on the performance of CITES reporting by focussing on the commercial trade in non-native reptiles and amphibians into Thailand as to illustrate trends, species composition and numbers of wild-caught vs. captive-bred specimens.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Based on data in the WCMC-CITES trade database, we establish that a total of 75,594 individuals of 169 species of reptiles and amphibians (including 27 globally threatened species) were imported into Thailand in 1990–2007. The majority of individuals (59,895, 79%) were listed as captive-bred and a smaller number (15,699, 21%) as wild-caught. In the 1990s small numbers of individuals of a few species were imported into Thailand, but in 2003 both volumes and species diversity increased rapidly. The proportion of captive-bred animals differed greatly between years (from 0 to >80%). Wild-caught individuals were mainly sourced from African countries, and captive-bred individuals from Asian countries (including from non-CITES Parties). There were significant discrepancies between exports and imports. Thailand reports the import of >10,000 individuals (51 species) originating from Kazakhstan, but Kazakhstan reports no exports of these species. Similar discrepancies, involving smaller numbers (>100 individuals of 9 species), can be seen in the import of reptiles into Thailand via Macao.

Conclusion/Significance

While there has been an increase in imports of amphibian and reptiles into Thailand, erratic patterns in proportions of captive-bred specimens and volumes suggests either capricious markets or errors in reporting. Large discrepancies with respect to origin point to misreporting or possible violations of the rules and intentions of CITES.     

Current status of the threatened amphibians and reptiles of Japan

This article compares amphibian and reptile components of the original and revised versions of the Red List of Japan, and analyzes geographic patterns of, and major threats to, species and subspecies now assigned to the threatened categories. The numbers of both amphibians and reptiles categorized as threatened in the Red List of Japan have increased greatly through its revision as a result of recent progress in the taxonomy of these groups in Japan, the introduction of new criteria for risk assessment, and unexpectedly rapid declines in the status of several taxa. Threatened taxa of amphibians and reptiles in the revised list tend to be concentrated in the Ryukyu Archipelago, where deforestation seems to be the major ultimate cause of declines. Reduction in the quality and quantity of inland water environments seems to be the major cause of declines in several endemic amphibians from the main islands of Japan. The importance of conservation was emphasized in the revised list by progress in taxonomy, by new insights and data on the estimation of temporal dynamics of population density or habitat size for threatened taxa, and by the impacts of and need to prevent further deforestation in the Ryukyus and of the ongoing destruction of inland water habitats on the main islands of Japan. Received: May 6, 1999 / Accepted: October 26, 1999     

社区居民保护意识及对大熊猫放归的态度研究

圈养动物放归项目是否成功,与放归地周边社区居民的支持力度有很大关系。大熊猫(Ailuropoda melanoleuca)野化培训与放归项目自2010年以来取得了突破性进展,野化培训圈养大熊猫陆续被放归野外并开展了持续的跟踪监测。2017年,在6只圈养大熊猫被放归至栗子坪国家级自然保护区后,基于入户调查426份有效问卷数据,运用卡方检验(或Fisher精确检验)和Kruskal-Wallis秩和检验比较了四川省六个保护区周边社区居民的保护知识、保护意识和对大熊猫放归的态度,并分析放归发生地组(栗子坪)、相关地组(冶勒、大相岭)和不相关地组(嘛咪泽、老君山和瓦屋山)之间的差异性,结果表明：(1)六个保护区相比,周边社区居民在保护知识、保护意愿和放归支持方面存在极显著差异(P<0.001)。(2)各保护区多数居民都支持大熊猫放归,放归发生地组支持度最高,相关组居中,不相关组的支持度最低;同时,不相关组在保护意愿和态度上的得分也低于其余两组。即使放归项目处于未实施阶段,当知道项目的居民比例上升时,该社区对放归的支持会进一步提高。(3)管理部门和媒体作为信息主要来源对提高居民保护认知起到...     

Ascaridoid nematodes of amphibians and reptiles: Ophidascaris Baylis, 1920

The genus Ophidascaris is revised and divided into five groups of species. A key for the species groups is provided. Group 1 (‘filaria’ group) occurs in pythons and a key is provided for differentiating eight species based on fresh and preserved specimens and on developmental patterns. O. papillifera (Linstow, 1898) is redescribed from the type-specimens and is considered to be close or identical to O. niuginiensis, for which Candoia carinatus is recorded as a new host. A key for the differentiation of species in Groups 2 to 5 is based on preserved specimens only. Group 2 (‘obconica’ group) contains (i) O. obconica and O. trichuriformis [= caballeroi] in South American colubrids (further investigation will probably show that O. trichuriformis is a synonym of O. obconica); new host records are Xenodon severus, X. neuwiedii, X. colubrinus, Leptodeira annulata, Thamnodynastes pallidus, Leimadophis poecilogyrus and Boa constrictor; (ii) O. ashi n. sp. (new species name for ‘O. labiatopapillosa’) in North American colubrids, new host records are Nerodia valida, Heterodon nasicus and Storeria occipitomaculata; (iii) O. mombasica in African colubrids; new host records are Psammophis phillipsii and P. sibilans; (iv) O. solenopoion in Madagascan colubrids; (v) O. pyrrhus in Australian elapids; new host records are Cacophis squamulosus, Cryptophis nigrescens, Demansia atra, D. olivacea, Hemiaspis signata, Hoplocephalus bitorquatus, H. stephensi, H. bungaroides and Tropedechis carinatus, it is also recorded in Australia in the colubrid Styporhyncus mairii (new host record) and in Demansia papuensis papuensis and D. olivacea papuensis in Papua New Guinea; (vi) O. piscatori in Asian colubrids; (vii) O. excavata [? = schikhobalovi] in Agkistrodon spp. and possibly other aquatic snakes in Asia; new host record is Agkistrodon halys blomhoffi. Group 3 (‘radiosa’ group) in African viperids contains O. radiosa [ = intorta] in Bitis spp. Specimens from Atheris nitschei, Causus rhombeatus and the colubrid Boaedon lineatus were similar, but showed differences indicating possibility of other species in this group. Group 4 (‘najae’ group) in African elapids and Asian elapids and colubrids contains O. najae [ = daubaylisi]; new host records are Ophiophagus hannah, Boiga cyanea, Elaphe carinata. Group 5 (‘arndti’ group) in South American crotalids and colubrids contains O. arndti [ = travassosi and sprenti] in Crotalus spp. and Bothrops spp.; new host record is B. atrox in Panama. No morphological differentiation except size could be detected between O. arndti in crotalines and O. sicki in colubrids, but in view of difference in the feeding habits of their host, both species names were tentatively sustained; new host records for O. sicki are Xenodon neuwiedii, Leimadophis poecilogyrus, Pseudoboa cloelia, Philodryas patagoniensis and Micrurus frontalis; O. ochoteranai was regarded as a species inquirenda. The following species previously placed in Amplicaecum are placed in Ophidascaris; excavata Hsu & Hoeppli, 1931; schikhobalovi Mozgovoy, 1950; robertsi Sprent & Mines, 1960; longispiculum Oshmarin & Demshin, 1972; orientalis Wang, 1965. The position of Ophidascaris in relation to other ascaridoids is discussed: it is placed within the subfamily Ascaridinae sensu Sprent (1983) containing all other ascaridoids of terrestrial animals. It is concluded that Ophidascaris is in a relatively recent stage of evolution. The most likely centre of dispersal for the genus appears to have been Central Africa with spread in one direction to Asia and thence to the New World and in another direction to Madagascar and Australia.