The Herpetofauna of the Peruvian dry forest along the Andean valley of the Marañón River and its tributaries, with a focus on endemic iguanians, geckos and tegus

Abstract

The present study was organized to contribute to the knowledge of the herpetofauna of the Inter-Andean dry forest valleys. Several field surveys were conducted between July 2005 and November 2010 at 22 different localities along the Marañón River and some of its tributaries.<br /><strong>Section 1</strong> gives deeper insights in the objectives of the research project and provides an overview on the topography, climate, vegetation, and fauna of the research area.<br /><strong>Section 2</strong> is a commented checklist of the amphibians and reptiles of the 22 surveyed localities situated in this world-unique dry forest habitat, containing 14 species of amphibians and 45 species of reptiles. <br /><strong>Section 3</strong> focuses on the neotropical representatives of the gecko family Phyllodactylidae.<br /> In <strong>chapter 3.1,</strong> two new species of the genus <em>Phyllodactylus</em> are described.<br /><strong>Chapter 3.2</strong> reports on the collection of the recently described gekkonid species <em>Phyllodactylus thompsoni </em>and <em>P. delsolari </em>from seven and four new localities, respectively, extending the distribution of both species southward along the Marañón River valley in Peru by about 130 km and the altitudinal range to nearly 1,900 m a.s.l.<br /> In <strong>chapter 3.3</strong>, the ecology of the four phyllodactylid geckos: <em>Phyllopezus maranjonensis, Phyllodactylus delsolari, P. thompsoni </em>and <em>P. reissii, </em>was studied in the Balsas area. <br /><strong>Section 4</strong> contributes to the knowledge of the iguanid lizards of the genus <em>Polychrus</em>. The new colorful species <em>Polychrus</em> <em>jacquelinae</em> is described from the surroundings of San Vicente/Pusaq, Province of Bolivar, Region of La Libertad. <br /><strong>Section 5</strong> is a taxonomic revision of the Andean representatives of the teiid lizard genus <em>Ameiva</em> Meyer, 1795 with a description of two new species and information on the environmental niches of three <em>Ameiva</em> species.<br /> The results of this dissertation provide a first checklist of the amphibians and reptiles of the interandean part of the equatorial dry forest in Northern Peru. The herpetofauna of this region is characterized by a high diversity and a high endemicity, with about half (29 of 59 species) of the recorded species being only known from this part of the equatorial dry forest. Six new species were discovered (<em>Phyllopezus maranjonensis, Phyllodactylus delsolari, P. thompsoni, Polychrus jacquelinae, Ameiva aggerecusans, </em>and<em> A. concolor</em>), a new country record was discovered (<em>Mastigodryas reticulatus</em>), and range extensions were provided for eight taxa (<em>Leptodactylus labrosus, Rulyrana mcdiarmidi, Phyllodactylus johnwrighti, Pseudogonatodes barbouri, Leptodeira septentrionalis larcorum, Sibynomorphus vagrans</em>, <em>Microlophus stolzmanni, </em>and <em>Phyllopezus maranjonensis)</em>. In addition, information on natural history and key literature are provided for most of the recorded dry forest species. <br /> This investigation contributes valuable information on the knowledge of the amphibians and reptiles inhabiting the northern Peruvian dry forest and provides a basis for further studies as well as for the development of conservation strategies for this peculiar habitat and its herpetofauna. The high amount of endemic species and the high potential for the discovery of additional rare and endemic species together with the identified threats such as deforestation, mining activities and dam constructions for hydroelectric projects have high implications for conservation and further research. <br /> To date no protected area has been established in the Marañón valley. If no conservation strategies will soon be developed and implemented the destruction of this unique habitat will proceed and the decline of its diversity will be irreversible.