Snake richness in urban forest fragments from Niteroi and surroundings, state of Rio de Janeiro, southeastern Brazil.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The Atlantic Forest is a hotspot for biodiversity, an area which houses high species richness and endemism, but with high level of threat. With reference to the herpetofauna, until recently there has been no detailed information regarding diversity of snakes recorded in the Atlantic Forest, the number of endemic species and their distribution ranges. While these basic data were missing, large areas of original forest have continued to be lost to increased urbanization and human population, representing a severe threat to the biodiversity.

New information

We recorded 28 snake species in our study area. Dipsadidae was the richest family with 14 species, followed by Colubridae (eight species), Boidae (two species), Viperidae (two species), and Anomalepididae, Elapida

SUBMITTER: Citeli N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4759410 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature