Patterns, biases and prospects in the distribution and diversity of Neotropical snakes

Author(s):Show less -

Guedes, Thais B. ^{[1, 2, 3, 4]} ; Sawaya, Ricardo J. ^[3] ; Zizka, Alexander ^{[1, 2]} ; Laffan, Shawn ^[5] ; Faurby, Soren ^{[1, 2]} ; Pyron, R. Alexander ^[6] ; Bernils, Renato S. ^[7] ; Jansen, Martin ^{[8, 9]} ; Passos, Paulo ^[10] ; Prudente, Ana L. C. ^[11] ; Cisneros-Heredia, Diego F. ^{[12, 13, 14]} ; Braz, Henrique B. ^[15] ; Nogueira, Cristiano de C. ^[16] ; Antonelli, Alexandre ^{[1, 2, 17]}

Affiliation:Show less -

^[1] Gothenburg Global Biodivers Ctr, Gothenburg - Sweden

^[2] Univ Gothenburg, Dept Biol & Environm Sci, Box 461, SE-40530 Gothenburg - Sweden

^[3] Univ Fed Sao Paulo, UNIFESP, Dept Ecol & Biol Evolut, Diadema, SP - Brazil

^[4] MZUSP, Lab Herpetol, Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[5] Univ New South Wales, Sch Biol Earth & Environm Sci, Ctr Ecosyst Sci, Sydney, NSW - Australia

^[6] George Washington Univ, Dept Biol Sci, Washington, DC 20052 - USA

^[7] Univ Fed Espirito Santo, Campus Litoraneo, Sao Mateus, ES - Brazil

^[8] Senckenberg Res Inst, Sect Herpetol, Frankfurt - Germany

^[9] Natl Museum, Frankfurt - Germany

^[10] Univ Fed Rio de Janeiro, Museu Nacl MNRJ, Dept Vertebrados, Rio De Janeiro, RJ - Brazil

^[11] Museu Paraense Emilio Goeldi, Lab Herpetol, Dept Zool, Belem, Para - Brazil

^[12] Univ San Francisco Quito, Colegio Ciencias Biol & Ambientales COCIBA, Lab Zool Terrestre, Quito - Ecuador

^[13] Kings Coll London, Dept Geog, London - England

^[14] Nat Hist Museum UK, London - England

^[15] Univ Sydney, Fac Sci, Sch Life & Environm Sci, Sydney, NSW - Australia

^[16] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Ecol, Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[17] Gothenburg Bot Garden, Gothenburg - Sweden

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY; v. 27, n. 1, p. 14-21, JAN 2018.
• Web of Science Citations: 14

Abstract

Motivation: We generated a novel database of Neotropical snakes (one of the world's richest herpetofauna) combining the most comprehensive, manually compiled distribution dataset with publicly available data. We assess, for the first time, the diversity patterns for all Neotropical snakes as well as sampling density and sampling biases. Main types of variables contained: We compiled three databases of species occurrences: a dataset downloaded from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), a verified dataset built through taxonomic work and specialized literature, and a combined dataset comprising a cleaned version of the GBIF dataset merged with the verified dataset. Spatial location and grain: Neotropics, Behrmann projection equivalent to 1 degrees x 1 degrees. Time period: Specimens housed in museums during the last 150 years. Major taxa studied: Squamata: Serpentes. Software format: Geographical information system (GIS). Results: The combined dataset provides the most comprehensive distribution database for Neotropical snakes to date. It contains 147,515 records for 886 species across 12 families, representing 74% of all species of snakes, spanning 27 countries in the Americas. Species richness and phylogenetic diversity show overall similar patterns. Amazonia is the least sampled Neotropical region, whereas most well-sampled sites are located near large universities and scientific collections. We provide a list and updated maps of geographical distribution of all snake species surveyed. Main conclusions: The biodiversity metrics of Neotropical snakes reflect patterns previously documented for other vertebrates, suggesting that similar factors may determine the diversity of both ectothermic and endothermic animals. We suggest conservation strategies for high-diversity areas and sampling efforts be directed towards Amazonia and poorly known species. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 13/04170-8 - Historical biogeography of the snakes from open landscapes in South America
• Grantee: Thaís Barreto Guedes da Costa
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 11/50206-9 - Origin and evolution of snakes and their diversification in the Neotropics: a multidisciplinary approach
• Grantee: Hussam El Dine Zaher
• Support Opportunities: BIOTA-FAPESP Program - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 14/23677-9 - New approaches to ecology and conservation: phylogenetic and functional diversity of amphibians and snakes of Brazilian Atlantic Forest
• Grantee: Ricardo Jannini Sawaya
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 15/20215-7 - Biogeography, biodiversity and conservation of cis-Andean squamate reptiles
• Grantee: Cristiano de Campos Nogueira
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants
• FAPESP's process: 14/18837-7 - Unveiling the hidden limits of species clusters: a cross-methodological approach to identify bioregions of neotropical snakes
• Grantee: Thaís Barreto Guedes da Costa
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor