Although characterized by some of the most endangered ecosystems of Central America, the Nicoya Peninsula, northwestern Costa Rica, is a wide and scarcely investigated region in terms of herpetofauna. Within this context, we studied the amphibians and reptiles of the Karen Mogensen Wildlife Refuge (KMR), a protected area of approximately 1,000 hectares characterized mainly by tropical dry forest and moist forest. The investigation included a series of 20 surveys from 2011 to 2021. Overall, the area hosts a relatively rich and diverse community, including 11 anuran species (10 genera, 5 families) and 40 reptiles (35 genera, 16 families), including 12 Lacertilia, 26 Serpentes and 2 Testudines. Thirty percent of the species detected represent a new record for all (14%) or part (16%) of the entire north-western portion of Costa Rica. Ten species reach the southernmost or northernmost limits of their global range, thus being potentially more susceptible of disappearance due to various threatening factors. Two other species, the ophid Epicrates maurus and the endemic dwarf gecko Sphaerodactylus graptolaemus, expand the latitudinal extent of their distribution. From a conservation point of view, the chelonian Rhinoclemmys pulcherrima is listed as globally vulnerable, while the anuran Agalychnis callidryas is characterized by markedly declining populations. We applied the Environmental Vulnerability Score, pointing out that the herpetofauna of the Refuge shows a medium to low vulnerability to environmental alterations. Overall, this Score highlighted that 10 taxa of reptiles may need a specific attention from a conservation point of view. In conclusion, despite the relatively small extension of the protected area, our study revealed a high diversity, inclusive of several species of high biogeographical interest, thus underlining the relevance of the KMR for amphibian and reptile conservation in a vulnerable environmental context.
The herpetofauna of a threatened and underinvestigated region of Costa Rica: diversity and conservation
Fonda Federica;
2022-01-01
Abstract
Although characterized by some of the most endangered ecosystems of Central America, the Nicoya Peninsula, northwestern Costa Rica, is a wide and scarcely investigated region in terms of herpetofauna. Within this context, we studied the amphibians and reptiles of the Karen Mogensen Wildlife Refuge (KMR), a protected area of approximately 1,000 hectares characterized mainly by tropical dry forest and moist forest. The investigation included a series of 20 surveys from 2011 to 2021. Overall, the area hosts a relatively rich and diverse community, including 11 anuran species (10 genera, 5 families) and 40 reptiles (35 genera, 16 families), including 12 Lacertilia, 26 Serpentes and 2 Testudines. Thirty percent of the species detected represent a new record for all (14%) or part (16%) of the entire north-western portion of Costa Rica. Ten species reach the southernmost or northernmost limits of their global range, thus being potentially more susceptible of disappearance due to various threatening factors. Two other species, the ophid Epicrates maurus and the endemic dwarf gecko Sphaerodactylus graptolaemus, expand the latitudinal extent of their distribution. From a conservation point of view, the chelonian Rhinoclemmys pulcherrima is listed as globally vulnerable, while the anuran Agalychnis callidryas is characterized by markedly declining populations. We applied the Environmental Vulnerability Score, pointing out that the herpetofauna of the Refuge shows a medium to low vulnerability to environmental alterations. Overall, this Score highlighted that 10 taxa of reptiles may need a specific attention from a conservation point of view. In conclusion, despite the relatively small extension of the protected area, our study revealed a high diversity, inclusive of several species of high biogeographical interest, thus underlining the relevance of the KMR for amphibian and reptile conservation in a vulnerable environmental context.Pubblicazioni consigliate
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