Abstract
We discuss the herpetological results of seven expeditions to the Guianan part of Pará, which resulted in a total of 80 species of amphibians (77 frogs and three caecilians) and 95 species of reptiles (36 species of lizards, three species of amphisbaenians, 49 species of snakes, five species of chelonians and two species of caiman). We report six species new to science (three frogs, one caecilian, one lizard, one amphisbaenian), six new records for Brazil (five frogs, one caecilian) and 23 new records for Pará (13 frogs, four lizards, six snakes). For each of the new records we provide comments. Special comment is made about a large population of the toad Atelopus hoogmoedi that seems to be doing well and does not show any signs of population decline as many species of Atelopus at higher elevations do. We provide a complete list of species collected per locality containing data on endemicity, habitat, reproduction and food. For each of the seven collecting sites we provide data on richness and abundance of species. The sites are compared regarding their species composition, even though we can not say how much of the differences are due to specific habitats or geographic variation, seasonal variation or sampling deficiency. We synonymised the Bufonid Rhinella martyi with Bufo margaritifer and selected a lectotype for Rana margaritifera in order to resolve the problems about this name.
Highlights
On December 4, 2006, the State of Pará created five new conservation units in the northern part of Pará, north of the Amazon, in order to establish a large and protected, mostly forested, area that would form a continuous block with protected areas in Amapá (Parque Nacional [PARNA] Montanhas de Tumucumaque), French Guiana, Suriname and Guyana, and with Indian Territories in the region (Figure 1) (Governo do Estado do Pará, 2006)
We present a gross estimation of relative abundance of amphibians and reptiles, for each site and for each group as a whole, based on numbers of specimens caught by pitfall traps and all those collected by active searches
Because of doubts remaining about the identification, we have not included this species in our list, it is expected to occur throughout the area
Summary
On December 4, 2006, the State of Pará created five new conservation units in the northern part of Pará, north of the Amazon, in order to establish a large and protected, mostly forested, area that would form a continuous block with protected areas in Amapá (Parque Nacional [PARNA] Montanhas de Tumucumaque), French Guiana, Suriname and Guyana, and with Indian Territories in the region (Figure 1) (Governo do Estado do Pará, 2006). The five conservation units created by the state were: Estação Ecológica (ESEC) Grão-Pará (4.2 million ha), Reserva Biológica (REBIO) Maicuru (1.2 million ha), and the Florestas Estaduais (FLOTA) de Faro (0.6 million ha), Trombetas (3.2 million ha) and Paru (3.6 million ha) Together they cover an area of 13.2 million ha and, with the already existing protected areas – Indian territories (TI) of Trombetas-Mapuera, Tumucumaque, rio Paru d’Este, Nhamundá-Mapuera and Zo’é; two ‘Quilombola’ (African-Brazilian) territories; the Florestas Nacionais (FLONA) Saracá-Taquera and da Mulata, REBIO do rio Trombetas, and ESEC Jari – they form an enormous block, with different degrees of protection (besides TI and ‘quilombola’ sites, that harbour traditional populations, FLOTA’s and FLONA’s aim at the sustainable use of natural resources).
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